The Supreme Court on Monday allowed a plea seeking a court-monitored investigation into the recent violence in West Bengal to be withdrawn, while granting the petitioner the liberty to file a fresh, properly verified petition.
Court Criticizes Lack Of Verification
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh permitted advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, who appeared in person, to withdraw his plea. However, the court took note of the inadequate groundwork in the petition, pointing out that it lacked proper verification and failed to involve all necessary parties.
“You seem to be in some kind of hurry,” the bench observed, pulling up Jha for relying heavily on unverified media reports to support his claims.
The court advised him to conduct thorough verification before filing any fresh petition and stressed that such sensitive matters required a solid factual foundation.
Calcutta High Court Steps In
The backdrop of the plea relates to communal clashes that erupted in parts of Murshidabad district—notably Suti, Samserganj, Dhulian, and Jangipur—on April 11 and 12. The violence broke out during protests over the newly-amended Waqf (Amendment) Act, resulting in multiple deaths and hundreds displaced from their homes.
In response to the deteriorating law and order situation, the Calcutta High Court recently ordered the deployment of central paramilitary forces in the violence-hit areas to restore peace and security.
Liberty To File Fresh Plea Granted
Although the Supreme Court declined to entertain the current petition in its present form, it gave Jha the option to return with a revised petition that includes all required verifications and parties involved.
The incident in West Bengal has sparked political and legal concerns, especially with the controversial Waqf law amendments continuing to face pushback. As the situation on the ground remains tense, further legal developments are expected in the days ahead.
Read More: Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, States High Court, International
