Kolkata, May 21 (IANS): The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday barred the West Bengal Police from initiating action against the BJP candidate from Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, Rekha Patra, till June 14 on an FIR registered against her.

The single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta also put an interim stay on the FIR till the same period.

On May 15, Patra, the face of the movement in Sandeshkhali against the alleged sexual harassment of women by a section of local Trinamool Congress leaders, approached the high court seeking protection from coercive action by the state police.

She approached the court days after a video went viral wherein a local BJP leader from Sandeshkhali, Gangadhar Kayal, could be heard claiming that the movement in Sandeshkhali was plotted and orchestrated by the BJP.

After the sting operation video surfaced, the West Bengal Police registered FIRs against both Patra and Kayal in the matter.

The matter is scheduled for next hearing on May 12.