CALCUTTA HIGH COURT RELEASES STUDENT BOOKED FOR LEADING MARCH TOWARDS GOVT SECRETARIAT, CAUTIONS STATE AGAINST TERRORISING PROTESTORS': RG KAR RAPE-MURDER

The Calcutta High Court in the case Anjali Lahiri v.State Of West Bengal observed and has ordered the state police to release a student named Sayan Lahiri, who was alleged to be the leader of the 'Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj', an organisation which led a call for protests and march towards the State secretariat in Nabanna.

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Though, the protest was peaceful but it resulted in widespread violence, resulting in grave injuries to both protestors and police personnel.

The Police arrested Sayan Lahiri was arrested in connection with leading the march.

The mother of Lahiri approached the High Court seeking his release on bail.

A single bench of Justice Amrita Sinha granted bail to Lahiri and stated that, 'The authorities ought to have handled the issue in a more sensitive manner rather than target the protestors to prevent them from continuing their agitation. However, the authorities ought to appreciate that the protests are more in the form of a social uproar against the unfortunate incident at RG Kar and such type of public dissent is required to be dealt with in a matured manner and not by unleashing force upon the protestors who are protesting.'

The court also stated that, 'None could have been anticipated such huge response at various parts of the State. Had the RG Kar incident not occurred, there would not have been the existence of the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj. Thus, thousands of common people joined the protest rally and the petitioner son played an active role and may have been a bit more vocal than the other protestors. But, the same does not ipso facto mean that the son of the petitioner is the leader of the rally.'

The court in the case referred to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of Arnab Goswami, wherein the court to take cognizance of such issues, and the court allowed the petitioner to be released on bail and restrained the police from taking any coercive action against him.

FACTS OF THE CASE:

The State alleged that the son of the petitioner along with around 150 other agitators assembled at Jawaharlal Nehru Road and S.N. Banerjee Road crossing commonly known as Dorinna Crossing under the banner of Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj and called for Nabanna Abhijan.