Supreme Court refuses plea for probe into Mamata's alleged Nandigram attack

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea for investigation by an independent agency into the March 10 incident where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was injured after an alleged attack on her in Nandigram.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian told the counsel appearing for petitioners, “You go to the Calcutta High Court.”

The petition, filed by Shubham Awasthi and two others, contended the alleged attack on a constitutional functionary should be investigated by an independent agency like the CBI. The petitioners said the findings of the probe should be made public to strengthen the voters confidence. The plea also sought direction for enhanced punishment for poll violence.

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Following a brief hearing in the matter, the bench allowed the petitioner to withdraw the plea with the liberty to move the High Court.

The plea, filed through advocate Vivek Narayan Sharma, claimed an attack on a Constitutional functionary violated the idea of a free and fair elections and had given a free reign to political parties to influence voters.

It also pointed out after the alleged attack, the atmosphere in West Bengal has been vitiated by allegations and counter allegations by political parties.

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The West Bengal Chief Minister had alleged that she was attacked by "four-five men" in Nandigram, and her left leg was injured in the attack.

The March 10 incident happened hours after she filed nomination from the seat where the BJP has fielded her former close aide Suvendu Adhikari in the Assembly election.

West Bengal Assembly Election Result 2016