Kolkata, 23 July (H.S.): Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee did not receive immediate relief from the Calcutta High Court on Thursday after the court declined his oral plea seeking blanket legal protection in all FIRs registered against him following the change of government in West Bengal.

Banerjee had approached the High Court seeking a common protective order against all cases, including eight fresh FIRs recently lodged at different police stations. He requested protection from arrest and coercive action by clubbing all the cases together.

During the hearing, Justice Sougata Bhattacharya observed that the FIRs were based on separate allegations and, therefore, a blanket order covering all the cases could not be granted.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Banerjee, argued that the FIRs registered at police stations including Bhawanipur, Siliguri, Nakashipara and Bishnupur were politically motivated and filed as an act of vendetta. He urged the court to extend protection in all the cases simultaneously.

Rejecting the contention, Justice Bhattacharya said each FIR was based on distinct allegations and had to be considered independently, making a common protective order legally untenable.

Sibal also cited the case of Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who had earlier received protection from the High Court in multiple FIRs. The state government responded that the relief granted in Adhikari's case was only an interim order.

The court clarified that the precedent cited by the petitioner was not applicable to the present case and said no order would be passed without hearing all the concerned parties.

However, the High Court observed that if any coercive action is taken against Banerjee before the next date of hearing, the matter may be brought to the court's notice. The case has been listed for further hearing on July 30.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh