Central agency ready to probe Bengal post-poll violence: Govt to HC

The Central government on Tuesday infomed the Calcutta high court that  its agency - CBI or NIA is ready to probe allegations of post-poll violence in West Bengal, Additional solicitor general YJ Dastoor told the high court that the Centre was ready to assist the state goverment if the court directed a central agency to “take up investigation of some of the serious offences”. A five-judge bench headed by acting chief justice Rajesh Bindal was hearing PILs pertaining to allegations of post poll violence in the state.

Advocate general Kishore Dutta, appearing for the West Bengal government, said to the court, “The police acted contemporaneously. Whenever the police came to know of complaints, they had taken action. It is not that the police was completely inactive. Even without the NHRC’s reference of complaints, the police had registered FIRs,” Dutta said. The NHRC report had stated that the spate of violence in the state shows a pernicious politico-bureaucratic-criminal nexus while alleging that there was police inaction. The court reserved its order after hearing the arguments of both sides.