No charge sheet against any BJP legislator in National Anthem insult case: Calcutta HC

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday upheld an earlier order by a single-judge Bench putting an interim stay on issuing a charge sheet against any BJP legislator accused by the ruling Trinamool Congress of insulting the National Anthem.

The Division Bench also said that no BJP legislator accused in the case can be summoned by police for questioning in the matter without prior permission, till further court orders.

On December 7 last year, the single-judge Bench of Justice Jay Sengupta had stayed any investigation in the matter till January 17. However, in the same month the state government approached the division bench challenging the order.

The incident occurred on November 29 when Trinamool Congress legislators sporting black shirts and led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, were protesting near the statue of BR Ambedkar within the Assembly premises against the non-release of central funds to the state government under various centrally-sponsored projects.

Towards the end of the protest, a group of BJP MLAs led by the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari arrived at the Assembly premises.

The legislators, including the LoP, were seen shouting "thieves”, “thieves" while pointing at the protesting demonstrations.

Later the Chief Minister complained to the Speaker that the BJP legislators were raising derogatory slogans while the ruling party MLAs were singing the National Anthem, deeming it an insult.

Later three Trinamool Congress legislators filed a complaint in the matter following which the cops of Hare Street police station in central Kolkata started an investigation in the matter by registering an FIR.