The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday declined to entertain an urgent appeal by the West Bengal government seeking the withdrawal of interim protection granted to Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate Jahangir Khan. Khan had withdrawn his candidature from the Falta repoll on Tuesday.
Court Proceedings
The state's counsel appeared before Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, arguing that the High Court had previously granted Khan protection from arrest in connection with five First Information Reports (FIRs) while he was a candidate. However, since Khan has now withdrawn his candidacy, the state contended that the protection should be revoked.
Justice Bhattacharyya, after hearing the submission, replied, 'Come after May 26,' effectively refusing to hear the matter urgently. The court's decision means that Khan will continue to enjoy the interim protection until the next scheduled hearing.
Background
Jahangir Khan, a TMC leader, had been granted interim protection from arrest by the Calcutta High Court in five FIRs linked to alleged electoral offenses. The protection was initially provided in the context of his candidacy for the Falta assembly constituency bypoll. However, Khan withdrew his nomination on Tuesday, leading the state government to seek immediate removal of the legal shield.
The state's legal team argued that the protection was contingent upon Khan being a candidate, and its continuation post-withdrawal was unjustified. Despite the urgency, the court opted to defer the matter.
This development comes amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal, with the TMC and opposition parties trading accusations over law and order issues. The Falta repoll, scheduled for a later date, has been a focal point of these disputes.
