Calcutta HC grants interim protection to ex-BJP MP against police action in multiple FIRs

Kolkata, Oct 14 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Tuesday, granted interim protection from coercive action to former BJP Lok Sabha member, Arjun Singh, in multiple FIRs filed against him by the West Bengal Police in different police stations in the state.

Singh, the former MP from Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district, approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive action by police against him in these multiple FIRs.

The matter came up for hearing at Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Shampa Dutt (Paul) on Tuesday. After a detailed hearing, the single-judge granted him the interim protection till November 10, and on the same day, the matter will be heard again.

Recently, Singh made a comment that a Nepal-like mass public uprising might happen in West Bengal anytime. Soon after that, a total of 10 FIRs were registered against him at different police stations.

In addition to that, there were multiple FIRs filed against him earlier at different police stations, most of which were under the different police stations in the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate.

Recently, he approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from coercive police action in all these FIRs, old and new. Finally, on Tuesday, he was granted the interim relief on this count.

Singh was an erstwhile Trinamool Congress legislator, joined the BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and also successfully contested as a BJP candidate from Barrackpore constituency that year. However, in 2022, he again joined Trinamool Congress, citing grievances against the then state leadership of the BJP.

Before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he again went back to the BJP after Trinamool Congress denied him the nomination from Barrackpore. He also contested the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Barrackpore as a BJP candidate but got defeated by Trinamool Congress’ Partha Bhowmik.

--IANS

src/dpb