West Bengal violence: Convey stand on NIA probe into Baduria riots, HC tells Centre

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to convey its position on whether it was considering a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the recent communal strife at Baduria in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. [caption id=“attachment_3796135” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] On a plea seeking an NIA investigation into the clashes, a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborty asked the lawyer for the central government about his stand. Appearing for the Centre, additional solicitor general Kaushik Chanda submitted that he will take instructions in this regard from the government. Chanda was asked by the bench to convey the Centre’s position on the plea on 21 July when PILs with regard to the clashes will be heard again. The bench also directed the West Bengal government to submit an affidavit stating the steps it has taken to control and normalise the situation in riot-affected Baduria on 21 July. The direction to the state government was made on another petition seeking a direction to the state to compensate victims in last week’s communal clashes. State Advocate General Kishore Dutta submitted that 32 cases have been registered and 66 arrests made in connection with the clashes. He told the court that the situation has normalised at Baduria and adjoining areas in Basirhat sub-division, which is situated close to the Bangladesh border.