Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Dec 15: Three separate public interest litigations (PILs) were filed in the Calcutta High Court on Monday challenging the West Bengal government’s decision to constitute an inquiry committee headed by retired High Court judge Justice Asim Kumar Roy to probe the vandalism at Salt Lake Stadium following chaos during football legend Lionel Messi’s showcasing event on Saturday.
The petitioners have urged the court to hand over the investigation to central agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), citing the magnitude of the incident and alleged lapses in crowd management and security. The pleas seek transfer of the ongoing state-level inquiry to central agencies to ensure an independent probe into the circumstances that led to the violence.
The PILs were filed separately by Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari, and advocates Sabyasachi Chatterjee and Mainak Ghoshal. The petitions are expected to be taken up together later this week. Adhikari’s counsel, Bilwadal Bhattacharya, sought the court’s permission to file the PIL, contending that a central investigation was essential to unearth the factors that triggered the vandalism at the stadium.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced the formation of the inquiry committee under Justice Roy within hours of violence breaking out at the Salt Lake Stadium complex. She was scheduled to felicitate Lionel Messi along with his teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Luis Suarez at the event.
Escalating his attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress ahead of the Assembly elections due next year, Adhikari on Sunday said his party did not accept the state government’s move to appoint a committee under Justice Roy to probe the incident.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Sunday visited the vandalised stadium complex, a day after he was allegedly denied entry on Saturday afternoon. His visit coincided with the inspection of the site by the inquiry committee.
“I came here again to see the condition of the stadium. Lionel Messi is an international icon, and vandalism happened during his presence. It is a failure of the government and police that led to the mess. I will verify their role thoroughly,” the Governor said.
Bose added that he had interacted with members of the inquiry committee at the spot and would also speak to aggrieved fans before submitting his report. Calling Saturday’s incident a “shame for all in Kolkata”, he said several aspects behind the chaos were
yet to be properly clarified.