Crucial hearing at Calcutta HC today as Jahangir Khan’s interim protection against arrest ends

Kolkata, May 26 (IANS) A crucial hearing is scheduled at Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya on Tuesday as the interim protection given by the same bench last week to Jahangir Khan, the Trinamool Congress candidate in Falta Assembly constituency, against police action, including arrest, has ended on May 24, the day when the results for the repolling were declared.

With several FIRs registered against Khan in relation to voters’ intimidation before and on the regular polling day at Falta on April 29, he approached the Calcutta High Court on May 18 with an anticipatory bail plea apprehending arrest ahead of the repoll on May 21.

The matter came up for hearing on the same day, and after the hearing, Justice Bhattacharya granted him an interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, till May 24.

On May 18, Justice Bhattacharya also fixed May 26 as the next date of hearing. The matter is likely to come up for hearing either at the end of the first half or at the beginning of the second half of the court on Tuesday. Now it is to be seen whether the court extends interim protection to him.

Ahead of the repolling on May 21, Jahangir Khan, at a press conference, suddenly announced his withdrawal from the contest, expressing solidarity towards the new Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari’s special development package for Falta.

However, his withdrawal announcement was only symbolic, and his name continued to be displayed on the EVM on the repolling day.

On May 24, the results of the Falta repoll were declared, and the BJP candidate, Debangshu Panda, clinched a landslide victory with a margin of over 1,00,000 votes. While the CPI(M) candidate, Sambhunath Kumri, finished second, Khan was in fourth position, securing just 7,783 votes and forfeited his deposit.

–IANS

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