The Calcutta high court on Tuesday set aside the promulgation of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC at Sandeshkhali, which has been witnessing protests over the last one week.
Meanwhile, the high court also took suo motu cognisance of allegations of sexual assault on women "at gunpoint" and transfer of tribal land there and directed issuance of notice to the state authorities.
A petition was filed by two residents of Sandeshkhali seeking a direction from the court for lifting the prohibitory orders in the area.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were imposed and internet services suspended in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on February 9.
Justice Jay Sengupta set aside the promulgation of Section 144 of CrPC by the district administration at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas, holding that the manner in which it was done was not right.
Petitioner's counsel Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya claimed that the foundation of promulgation of the prohibitory orders in Sandeshkhali was not there and that it was done to curtail the rights of people to protest.
The state opposed the prayer claiming that it has also to be seen whether there was sufficient ground for such protests and also that violence was allegedly perpetrated from some such agitations.
Observing that it is "very disturbed" at the happenings in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday took suo motu cognisance of allegations of sexual assault on women "at gunpoint" and transfer of tribal land there and directed issuance of notice to the state authorities.
Justice Apurba Sinha Roy said that he was "very disturbed" at what was going on in Sandeshkhali, stating that it was disappointing.
Observing that he was pained on seeing media reports on the issue, Justice Sinha Roy took suo motu cognisance of allegations of sexual assault on women "at gunpoint" and transfer of land of tribal people there in violation of laws.
He directed the registrar general of the high court to issue notice to the state, the inspector general of police, the DIG of Barasat range, the superintendent of police and the district magistrate of North 24 Parganas district.
The matter will come up for hearing on February 20, he directed.
The court said that it also learnt from media reports that violence was allegedly perpetrated on innocent people to take away their properties.
Justice Sinha Roy appointed advocate Jayanta Narayan Chatterjee as the amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter.
Public prosecutor Debasish Roy, representing the state, was present before the court.
He told the court that the Advocate General would be best placed to make submissions in the matter on the appointed date of hearing
Sandeshkhali, which grabbed headlines when some Enforcement Directorate officials were attacked by a mob when they went to search the premises of Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh on January 5, has been witnessing protests for the last one week over allegations of atrocities on women and land grabbing by goons owing allegiance to the ruling party.
