‘Don’t compare with Manipur’: SC bins plea for Shahjahan CBI probe

The bench, which included Justice Augustine George Masih, made the oral observation after Alakh Alok Srivastava cited the recent apex court directive for a CBI probe into the nine-month-old Manipur unrest where women were paraded naked and gang-raped

R. Balaji, TT, New Delhi, 20.02.24 : The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a plea for a CBI or court-monitored SIT probe into the alleged atrocities in Sandeshkali, telling the petitioner there was no comparison with the Manipur turmoil.

"The high court (Calcutta) is seized of the matter. Let this not be a dual forum here. Don’t make case comparisons. Please don’t compare this (Sandeshkhali) with Manipur," Justice B.V. Nagarathna, who headed a two-judge bench, told advocate-cum-petitioner Alakh Alok Srivastava.

The bench, which included Justice Augustine George Masih, made the oral observation after Srivastava cited the recent apex court directive for a CBI probe into the nine-month-old Manipur unrest where women were paraded naked and gang-raped.

Srivastava had opened the arguments saying: "A very deeply disturbing incident has come to light in Sandeshkhali village in West Bengal, and a number of women have stated in the media that they were picked from their houses in the night and raped by local political leaders of the ruling party. The majority of the victims belong to the SC and ST communities."

Justice Nagarathna said: "You can seek impleadment (in the case before the high court). The high court will be best suited to assess the situation. We understand your eagerness and sympathy for the victims, but monitoring of investigation by this court is completely different."

Srivastava argued that Trinamul leader Sheikh Shahjahan was behind the alleged atrocities and that only after he went into hiding did the women of Sandeshkhali come out to complain.

He alleged the Bengal police were "complicit" with Shahjahan and others accused of sexual assault and land grab, and could therefore not be relied upon.

As the bench remained unimpressed, Srivastava sought permission to withdraw his petition with liberty to approach Calcutta High Court for appropriate relief.

The apex court gave the permission.

In his public interest petition, Srivastava had argued that since most of the accused belonged to the ruling Trinamul, the CBI or an apex court-monitored special investigation team should probe the matter and the trial should be shifted out of Bengal.