Post poll violence case: Irked over Kalyan Banerjee's argument pattern, Calcutta HC judge recuses from hearing

Kolkata, July 25 Irked over the pattern of argument in court by senior advocate and four-time Trinamool Congress' Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee, a judge of the Calcutta High Court, on Friday, recused from hearing a case in which two cops of Kolkata Police are accused as conspirators in an event of post-poll violence in West Bengal after the 2021 Assembly elections.

To recall, on July 18, a special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Kolkata remanded retired assistant commissioner of Kolkata police and the then officer in charge of Narkeldanga Police Station, Subhojit Sen, then lady sub-inspector of the same police station, Ratna Sarkar, and a home guard, Dipankar Debnath, all three of whom were referred as accused in CBI's fresh supplementary charge sheet in the murder of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar in Kolkata in the 2021 post-poll violence in Kolkata, to judicial custody till July 31.

Sarkar and Debnath approached Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Suvra Ghosh with the bail plea.

The matter came up for hearing on Friday, and during the hearing, Justice Ghosh recused from hearing after being irked by the pattern of argument by Banerjee.

On Friday, Banerjee, who appeared as the counsel for the accused cops, insisted that his clients be granted bail on Friday.

Justice Ghosh refused and said a more detailed hearing in the matter was required, which would not be possible immediately, since for the next 15 days from Monday she would be attached to a circuit branch of the Calcutta High Court.

She also suggested that Banerjee approach any other bench in case the latter was in a hurry.

Thereafter, in his argument, Banerjee referred to another judge of the Calcutta High Court, who also hears bail-related petitions, and commented that that judge also acts similarly to Justice Ghosh.

Banerjee also commented that it was a tragedy that the counsels have to wait at the mercy of the judges. To that, Justice Ghosh reacted and told Banerjee that she would not tolerate such comments about the court, and also observed that Banerjee was crossing his limits.

Thereafter, Justice Ghosh recused from hearing in the matter and advised Banerjee to approach an alternative bench.

--IANS

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