Calcutta HC grants 3-weeks immunity to BJP councilor over Asansol stampede

Calcutta High Court directed the police not to take any coercive action against a BJP councillor for three weeks from December 26 in connection with its probe into the death of 3 persons in a stampede

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the police not to take any coercive action against a BJP councillor for three weeks from December 26 in connection with its probe into the death of three persons in a stampede during a blanket distribution programme.

The court also directed Chaitali Tiwari, a BJP councillor of Asansol Municipal Corporation, to cooperate with the investigation into the incident of December 14, in which a 14-year-old girl was among the dead, and appear for questioning before the police.

Chaitali Tiwari is claimed to be the organiser of the event.

Justice Jay Sengupta said that Tiwari can move an anticipatory bail prayer before the appropriate bench by three weeks from Monday, while granting her protection from coercive action till then.

Tiwari, the wife of BJP leader Jitendra Tiwari, moved the high court seeking protection from any coercive action by the police against her.

Her lawyer Rajdeep Majumdar submitted that proper permission had been taken for holding the blanket distribution programme among people.

He claimed that the case drawn against Tiwari was politically motivated.

The state's counsel claimed that Tiwari should cooperate with the investigation since three persons, including a minor, died in the stampede.

Justice Sengupta directed that the matter will be taken up for hearing again on January 18.

Six people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident.