SC refuses urgent hearing on plea by Suvendu Adhikari regarding FIR filed against him

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to allow a plea for urgent hearing on a petition filed by West Bengal's Leader of Opposition Shuvendu Adhikari against the Calcutta High Court's July 20 order for lodging an FIR against him for his alleged "provocative speeches' made during the Panchayat polls.

Advocate Bansuri Swaraj, appearing for Adhikari, mentioned the matter before a bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, who said the matter would come up on August 4, the date already fixed.

Swaraj said the High Court's order of July 20 was against the Supreme Court's previous order and the co-ordinate bench's order of the High Court prohibiting lodging of any FIR against the petitioner.

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She said he is in precarious situation. After the High Court's order, multiple FIRs could be lodged against him. Even after filing of the special leave petition on July 24, an FIR has already been filed against him, she submitted, adding the petitioner apprehended grave harassment and threat to his liberty.

The counsel also said the High Court's order was passed in a PIL without granting any opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.

"The police machinery in the State of West Bengal is in collusion with the current ruling party, constantly attempting to foist cases against the petitioner," his plea contended.

The petitioner submitted that he defeated the current Chief Minister of the State, Mamata Banerjee from the Nandigram constituency in 2021.

"Post the assembly elections, he has been facing a barrage of criminal cases being foisted against him. The overzealousness of the police, which is acting on the instructions of the current ruling party is a glaring example of misuse of powers vested in the hands of the Chief Minister. He is facing absurd and vexatious criminal case one after another," his plea said.