Calcutta HC grants interim bail to CPI(M) leader in Baruipur violence case

Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to CPI(M) leader Md Lahek Ali, who was arrested in July this year by the Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police in connection with the massive unrest at Baruipur in South 24 Parganas over the rape and murder of a girl.

On Wednesday, a single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh granted him the interim bail till September 10. However, the bail comes with the condition that Ali would not be able to step out of the area in Baruipur where his house is located during the interim bail period.

The single-judge bench also directed Ali to fully cooperate with the police in the investigation during the interim period.

Ali earlier moved the bail plea at Justice Ghosh’s bench on the ground of the deteriorating medical condition of his aged mother. After a brief hearing on Wednesday afternoon, Ghosh granted him the conditional interim bail till September 10.

Massive tension broke out in Baruipur in July this year over the rape and murder of a minor girl. The local people resorted to major ruckus in the area and lynched a local youth suspecting him of being involved in the crime. Later, the lynched youth turned out to be innocent.

Ali, the CPI(M)’s South 24 Parganas district committee member, was accused by the police of being one of the principal masterminds behind instigating and mobilising people to take the law into their own hands. The police registered 26 cases against him.

Finally, on the night of July 12, he was arrested at his residence. The CPI(M) leadership, however, described his arrest as a reflection of political vendetta.

The Suryapur area of Baruipur witnessed widespread unrest after the body of the minor girl was recovered on July 5. Since the incident, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has visited Baruipur twice. Besides assuring strict punishment for those accused in the alleged rape and murder of the minor, he also warned of action against those accused of inciting violence during the protests. Several arrests have already been made in connection with the unrest. Allegations that Layek had incited violence had been raised from the outset, following which police arrested him.

Pravas Mondal, one of the key accused in the crime of rape and murder, was killed in a police encounter after he tried to escape by snatching the firearm of an on-duty police officer.

–IANS

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