Calcutta High Court Denies BJP Protest at Nabanna, Allows Nearby Sit-In

Court Ruling on BJP's Protest Plans

The Calcutta High Court has rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) request to hold a protest in front of the Nabanna, the West Bengal state secretariat, while permitting them to stage a sit-in at a nearby bus stand.

Nabanna houses the office of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The lawyer representing the petitioners informed the court that the demonstration, led by opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari and involving 50 BJP legislators, aims to oppose the alleged interference by the Chief Minister in the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) investigation and the misuse of the state's administrative machinery.

The ED has accused the West Bengal government, including Banerjee, of obstructing its investigation and search operations related to the alleged coal smuggling scandal, which took place on January 8 at the offices of the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and its director, Pratik Jain.

Shankar Ghosh, a BJP legislator from Siliguri and the petitioner, sought permission to protest in front of Nabanna from 10 AM to 4 PM on Friday.

However, Justice Surya Ghosh denied the request for a demonstration at the secretariat, designating the nearby Tamirtala bus stand, located approximately 600 meters away, as the alternative site for the protest.