Supreme Court Rejects Bengal Govt Plea Against HC Order Directing NIA Probe Into Ram Navami Violence

Violence had broken out in several parts of West Bengal, especially Howrah and Dalkhola districts, during Ram Navami celebrations.

Violence had broken out in parts of West Bengal during Ram Navami celebrations

Source : PTI

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the West Bengal government's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court order directing a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the incidents of violence that took place during Ram Navami celebrations earlier this year, ANI reported.

Violence had broken out in several parts of West Bengal, especially Howrah and Dalkhola districts, during Ram Navami celebrations, leaving several injured.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra noted that after the Calcutta High Court's order, the Centre had exercised its suo motu powers under Section 6(5) of the NIA Act to ask the anti-terror aganecy to investigate the violence cases, a report in Live Law said. The Supreme Court also noted that the Centre's subsequent notification was not challenged by the Bengal government.

"The precise contours of investigation which should be carried by NIA cannot be anticipated at this stage. In this backdrop, and particularly in absence of challenge to notification, we are not inclined to entertain the SLP (Special Leave Petition). We clarify that the observations made by HC be confined to question of whether NIA had jurisdiction to probe," the bench said.

READ | Calcutta High Court Directs NIA To Probe Ram Navami Violence In Bengal

The Calcutta High Court, on April 27, directed a probe by the NIA into the incidents of violence at Shibpur in Howrah and Rishra in Hooghly during Ram Navami celebrations. 

The order was passed on a PIL by leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari and three other petitions seeking an NIA probe.

The Calcutta High Court observed there was a deliberate attempt on the part of the police not to register any offence under the provisions of the Explosives Substances Act.

The high court had directed the Bengal police to ensure all FIRs, documents, seized material and CCTV footage were handed over to the NIA.

The Mamata Banerjee-led government said no explosives were used and the direction was passed on a "politically-motivated" PIL filed by Adhikari.