The Supreme Court on July 27 agreed to hear West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s appeal against the Calcutta High Court direction for the registration of an FIR against him.
A bench of justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia said that it would list the plea on August 4. Suvendu Adhikari has challenged July 20’s order of the Calcutta HC vacating a two-year-long restraint on WB police from registering FIRs against him. He has been anticipating grave harassment and a threat to liberty.
Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the Calcutta High Court’s recent order could lead to the registration of multiple FIRs against the Petitioner, Suvendu Adhikari, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the State of West Bengal. He has anticipated grave harassment and a threat to liberty.
Advocates Bansuri Swaraj and Siddhesh S Kotwal were representing the Petitioner, Suvendu Adhikari and sought an urgent hearing of the petition before the Supreme Court.
Suvendu Adhikari claimed that, post-assembly elections, the ruling party has been harassing the Petitioner and has registered several false cases against him.
On September 6, 2021, the Calcutta High Court granted interim protection to Suvendu Adhikari in various FIRs.The said order of the High Court was challenged in the Supreme Court, but the top court refused to interfere.
On December 8, 2022, the Calcutta High Court directed that each and every FIR referred to in the Petition by Suvendu Adhikari shall remain stayed, and the Police shall not register any further FIRs against the Petitioner Suvendu Adhikari without court permission. The Petitioner said that the Calcutta High Court order dated December 8, 2022, has been challenged before the top court five times, but the position remains unaltered.
“A Public Interest Litigation was filed against the Petitioner (Adhikari) on July 18, 2023, to address the alleged provocation, threats, acts, and menacing statements made by the Petitioner. The Petitioner therein, Suman Singh, prayed that the Public Interest Litigation be treated as a complaint and an FIR be registered against Suvendu Adhikari. Notably, the Petitioner therein holds strong political interests, and the so-called Public Interest Litigation was initiated solely to satisfy the political vendetta against the Petitioner,” read the plea.
