KOLKATA: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) wholeheartedly welcomes the Calcutta High Court’s verdict upholding the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the 2018 Darivit incident, where two innocent students and ABVP activists Rajesh Sarkar and Tapas Barman lost their lives due to police firing. The Hon’ble Court’s decision marks a significant step towards justice and accountability.
The Darivit incident shocked the nation’s conscience. From the outset, ABVP has consistently demanded an impartial, independent investigation, as the credibility of the state machinery has been seriously compromised. In 2023, the Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta ordered an investigation by the NIA, but the state government challenged the directive and appealed to the Division Bench. Today, after almost seven years of the incident, the Calcutta High Court Division Bench upholds the NIA Probe in the Darivit Case.
This verdict comes as a significant blow to the West Bengal state government, which had repeatedly attempted to derail and dilute the investigation. By upholding the NIA probe, the Court has reaffirmed that political influence cannot be allowed to obstruct justice, especially in such a case involving the loss of young lives.
ABVP reiterates its unwavering commitment to stand with the families of Rajesh Sarkar and Tapas Barman and to fight for justice until the guilty are brought to book, irrespective of their position or political affiliation.
ABVP’s National General Secretary Dr Virendra Singh Solanki said, “The High Court’s verdict clearly reflects the judiciary’s concern over the manner in which the case was handled and exposes the failure of the state government to ensure justice for the victims’ families. ABVP calls upon the state government to cooperate with the NIA investigation and to respect the rule of law, instead of shielding those responsible. We believe that only a thorough and independent investigation can uncover the truth behind the police firing and the NIA is the appropriate authority to carry out an impartial investigation.”
