Sandeshkhali news: Supreme Court stays LS notices to Bengal Chief Secretary Bhagwati Prasad Gopalika, DGP Rajeev Kumar

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the notices issued by the privileges committee of the Lok Sabha Secretariat to the West Bengal chief secretary, DGP and others over a complaint of "misconduct" filed against them by BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar.

Majumdar sustained injuries last week as BJP workers clashed with police personnel after being stopped from going to violence-hit Sandeshkhali in West Bengal.

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The Lok Sabha Secretariat summoned West Bengal Chief Secretary Bhagwati Prasad Gopalika and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar to appear by 10:30 AM on Monday.

A team of judges, including Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra, listened to arguments from senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Singhvi, who represented state officials. The SC bench decided to stay the orders that required these officials to be present, PTI reported.

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The counsel for the Lok Sabha secretariat opposed the grant of stay by the top court, saying this is the first sitting of the privileges committee.

“They are not being accused of anything. This is a regular process. Once an MP sends a notice and the speaker thinks there is something to look into then notices are issued,” the counsel said.

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The bench issued notices to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and others and sought their responses in four weeks and in the meanwhile stayed the proceedings before the panel of the lower House.

The MP and others were stopped from entering Sandeshkhali, where women have been agitating over alleged atrocities committed against them by Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides.

Sandeshkhali violence

Sandeshkhali has been tense with a large number of women in the locality accusing Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of "land-grab and sexually assaulting" them under coercion.