Courts questions Mamata government's inaction in murder case

The Calcutta High Court Tuesday yet again questioned the Mamata Banerjee government for its inaction over the murder of a panchayat member in which a Trinamool Congress leader has been named as an accused.

The hearing in the matter began afresh Tuesday by Justice Harish Tandon after Justice Dipankar Datta recused himself citing personal reasons.

Seeking to know why steps have not been taken except for filing a first information report, the court during the day, directed the government pleader to file his reply by July 2.

The case is concerning the murder of Sagar Ghosh, an independent panchayat member, that took place in Birbhum district July last year, days after district Trinamool president Anubrata Mondal gave an inflammatory speech inciting party workers to resort to violence against independent candidates and hurl bombs at the police if they prevented.

Taking notice of a video recording of Mandal's inflammatory speech, Justice Dutta while he was hearing the case, had rapped the Banerjee government over its failure to arrest Mandal and even directed the personal appearance of the director-general of police (DGP) to explain the "inaction".

The order of DGP's appearance though was subsequently stayed by a division bench.

Justice Datta also had taken judicial notice of Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee sharing dais with Mandal at a party rally in April this year.

Mandal who enjoys the endorsement of Banerjee for being an "efficient organiser", has been accused in the case along with 40 others.

Filed by Ghosh's son Hriday seeking an independent probe, the case will next come up for hearing July 8.