Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court will
pass an order on Tuesday on a PIL seeking a CBI probe on the
recent Lalgarh massacre that claimed the lives of seven
villagers.
The hearing of the case, which also sought steps to
dismantle armed camps in Jangalmahal, was concluded on Friday.
A division bench of Chief Justice J N Patel and
Justice Asim Kumar Roy, after hearing the submissions of all
the parties including petitioner Bar Association of Calcutta
High Court, the West Bengal and the Central governments,
directed that an interim order be passed at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
Appearing for the petitioners, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy in
his submission questioned the neutrality of a state agency
like the CID, which is at present investigating the January 7
incident, and said a CBI probe into the incident was necessary
for the truth to come out.
Claiming that ruling CPI-M cadres fired on innocent
villagers, he said that the state agency would not be able to
bring out the truth.
On the alleged existence of armed camps in
jangalmahal, he submitted that for the time being they would
dismantle the camps themselves and come back at an appropriate
time.
Opposing the prayer, Advocate General Balai Roy
submitted that a proper investigation was being conducted by
the CID and the state government would make all efforts to
ensure that the actual persons involved in the gruesome act
are punished in accordance with law.
The lawyer for another petitioner claimed that at
least 90 armed camps existed in the state, of which 45 were in
West Midnapore district.
Seven persons died when alleged CPI-M cadres fired at
a crowd from the house of an alleged CPI-M activist Rathin
Dandapat, which doubles up as an armed camp of the Marxist
party, at Netai village in the Lalgarh police station area.
The petitioners have also demanded a compensation of
Rs 25 lakh to the relatives of the dead and Rs 10 to the
injured.
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 14, 2011, 21:21