Calcutta HC asks for proof of Mamata's comments on judiciary

The Calcutta High Court, which has decided to take cognisance  and investigate West Bengal Chief Mamata Banerjee’s comments against the judiciary, has asked four media organisations to file affidavits based on their reports of the speech she made in the state Assembly. The court will then decide whether to file a contempt of court case against her. [caption id=“attachment_419922” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PTI[/caption] A group of Calcutta lawyers had brought Ms Banerjee’s speech to the notice of the court. The court since took cognisance and asked the four media houses to file affidavits confirming the veracity of their reports. Banerjee had said that the judiciary can be ‘bought’ and the process of justice can be manipulated, on Wednesday. “Many times favourable verdicts are given in lieu of money. Why should that happen. This is very unfortunate,” she said. While making these comments, Banerjee had said that she might be sent to jail on grounds of contempt of court, however, that would not stop her from speaking her mind out. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s remark that judicial orders could be bought for money drew flak from political parties Wednesday, including the Congress. Banerjee’s comment on the judiciary came a day after the state human rights commission slapped a Rs.50,000 fine on the police for arresting a Jadavpur University professor, Ambikesh Mahapatra, for circulating e-mails containing cartoons of the chief minister and other Trinamool Congress leaders in April this year.