Kolkata, 21 January (H.S.): The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted interim protection to Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, from any coercive action by the police in a case registered at Chandrakona police station. This relief was granted in connection with an incident in the Chandrakona police station area of West Midnapore district.

The single-judge bench of the High Court granted this interim relief, providing protection to the BJP MLA, Suvendu Adhikari, until January 29. Earlier, Adhikari had filed a petition before the single-judge bench of Justice Shubhra Ghosh, seeking protection from police action in the case registered against him.

Notably, earlier this month, Suvendu Adhikari's convoy was allegedly attacked by workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress in Chandrakona while he was returning to Kolkata from Purulia. Surprisingly, after this incident, the police registered a case against Suvendu Adhikari himself at Chandrakona police station, accusing him of instigating tension in the area.

During the hearing on Wednesday, arguments were presented in court on behalf of Suvendu Adhikari that the complaint registered against his client was intended to harass him and divert attention from the original incident of the attack on his convoy. The bench of Justice Ghosh accepted these arguments and granted him interim protection.

The single-judge bench of the High Court has also sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) regarding the attack on Suvendu Adhikari's convoy on the night of January 10.

Notably, last week, Suvendu Adhikari had also filed a separate petition in the Calcutta High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged attack on his convoy in the same case. This petition is also being heard before the bench of Justice Shubhra Ghosh.

The Union Home Ministry has also taken serious note of this matter and has sought a detailed report regarding the incident. Five videos related to the attack have already been forwarded by Suvendu Adhikari's office. According to sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also personally spoke to Suvendu Adhikari over the phone to inquire about the attack on his convoy. During the approximately 15-minute conversation, Adhikari gave the Home Minister a detailed account of the entire incident that took place in Chandrakona.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey