Cal High Court orders CID to trace 12 accused

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the CID to trace 12 absconding accused in connection with the 2023 post-poll violence at Joynagar, where two persons were killed and several houses of CPI(M) workers were set ablaze.

A bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh noted that despite the passage of two years, 12 accused persons were still on the run. The court recorded that the investigating officer had so far examined only three out of 14 chargesheeted persons.

The court directed the Officer-in-Charge of the CID’s Missing Persons Bureau to locate the absconders and produce them before the jurisdictional magistrate. It further ordered that if any of them are wanted in other cases, the magistrate, before considering their bail pleas, must obtain a report from the Additional Superintendent of Police of the concerned district regarding pending cases.

Rejecting the state counsel’s request for more time, the court remarked that sufficient time had already elapsed. Justice Ghosh observed: “I asked your IO to be serious about this case. Staying at Kolkata and villages are completely different… Court is not bothered about which political party who is sympathising with.”

The petitioner, a victim of the violence, alleged that the police had failed to comply with court orders or conduct a proper probe into the offences committed against her.

She sought contempt proceedings against the authorities for their alleged inaction and failure to protect her rights despite repeated complaints and orders.

The Joynagar incident had left more than 20 houses burnt, ransacked and allegedly looted. TMC leader Saifuddin Laskar was shot dead in the violence.