The Supreme Court on Wednesday handed over 2 FIRs involving West Bengal BJP leader Kabir Shankar Bose to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
These cases relate to a 2020 altercation between Bose’s security personnel and workers from the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Pankaj Mithal issued the order in response to Bose’s petition, which sought to transfer the investigation from the West Bengal Police to the CBI or any independent agency. Bose had argued that the state police might not conduct a fair and impartial inquiry.
“In this particular situation, a writ of mandamus is issued to the respondents to transfer all investigation documents and records linked to the two FIRs to the CBI for completion. This will allow the trial to proceed if necessary and ensure justice for all parties involved,” the bench noted.
Bose had also requested the court to halt the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings initiated by the West Bengal Police. In his plea, he recounted the events of December 6, 2020, when he and his security detail from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were allegedly attacked near his home in Serampore around 8 p.m.
According to Bose, a group led by Santosh Kumar Singh, also known as Pappu Singh, began the assault with heavy sloganeering. “As per standard protocol, the CISF immediately moved me to a secure location and evacuated me from the scene,” he stated in the petition.
He further clarified that once he was removed, the CISF remained on-site to protect the area, and he was no longer present during the subsequent events.
The situation escalated when, according to the petition, around 200 TMC supporters, led by local MP Kalyan Banerji, surrounded the building and laid siege until 2 a.m. Bose claimed that the state police, instead of dispersing the crowd, supported the mob, worsening the situation.
Court’s directive to involve the CBI is expected to ensure a neutral and thorough investigation, allowing the case to move forward without bias or external influence.
