Supreme Court suggests not to compare Manipur case with Sandeshkhali case

The Supreme Court has declined to entertain a petition requesting a CBI investigation into the Sandeshkali case in West Bengal, which was filed by a lawyer on behalf of the victims. During the hearing, the bench, comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Augustin George Masih, rejected the petition, prompting the petitioner to withdraw it. The bench expressed reservations about comparing the Sandeshkali case to the situation in Manipur and emphasized that the High Court, which had already taken suo-motu cognizance of the matter, is best suited to assess the situation and order a thorough investigation.

Acknowledging the seriousness of the matter, the High Court has taken the initiative to independently assess the situation and aims to ensure justice for the victims by potentially ordering an SIT investigation. Responding to the Supreme Court’s decision, the petitioner withdrew the plea, enabling the High Court to take charge of the case, with permission granted by the Supreme Court.

Drawing parallels with the Manipur model, the Supreme Court proposed the formation of a committee consisting of three retired judges from different states to oversee a fair and impartial investigation into the Sandeshkali case, aligning with demands for an unbiased inquiry. Alakh Alok Srivastava, representing the victims, filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court, seeking compensation for the victims and disciplinary action against culpable police officers.

Meanwhile, NDTV’s investigation shed light on the complex nature of the Sandeshkali case. While the BJP alleges sexual assault, women interviewed by NDTV suggested a more nuanced reality, recounting being summoned to the BJP office and facing threats for non-compliance, albeit reluctant to disclose their identities on camera. Tensions escalated further when West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar reportedly sustained injuries during a clash with the police while attempting to reach Sandeshkhali, with the BJP claiming their visit aimed to interact with the alleged victims.

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