CPI(M) MP seeks suo motu action against TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee

Senior advocate of Calcutta High Court and CPI(M) MP Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya on Monday sought suo motu action against Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s over his recent comments targetting Justice Rajasekhar Mantha of the same court.

However, while seeking the attention of the division bench. Bhattacharya neither named Abhishek Banerjee nor Justice Mantha.

A division bench of T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya have directed Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya to make a written submission in this regard.

Notably, on Friday, July 14, evening, Abhishek Banerjee, without directly naming accused Justice Mantha of giving “protection to antisocial elements”.

He said with successive orders, Justice Mantha has given Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari shield against coercive action, including arrests in a number of cases filed against him by the state police.

“There is one judge who is giving protection to anti-social elements. Even if he is involved with criminal activists he cannot be arrested. If I am being jailed on contempt of charges for these comments, I am ready to go behind the bars 10,000 times. But still I will tell the truth,” Banerjee had said.

This morning, while seeking the attention of the division bench in the matter Bhattacharya pleaded that “one gentleman” had attacked “the directive of an honourable judge” and accused him of “protecting the anti-social elements.

Bhattacharya also pointed out that a reputed educationist has opined that unless such things are stopped the dignity of the court cannot be protected.

“Even a former advocate general has asked me to take some initiative in the matter. So my request to the court is to adopt a suo motu action in the matter,” Bhattacharya made a submission to the court.

On Saturday, July 15, BJP Lok Sabha member of Bishnupur constituency Saumitra Khan had written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with a plea for cancellation of the membership of Abhishek Banerjee from the house for the latters’ “derogatory” comments targeting Justice Mantha.