Mistake in date of FIR against former CPI-M MLA inadvertent: Bengal Police

Kolkata, Feb 29 (IANS) A senior official of West Bengal Police on Thursday morning admitted that the cops made an inadvertent mistake in the date of the FIR registered against former CPI-M legislator from Sandeshkhali Assembly constituency, Nirapada Sardar, on the basis of which he was arrested.

Nirapada Sardar was held on charges of instigating the villagers, especially the women at Sandeshkhali, to take the law into their own hands while protesting against some ruling Trinamool Congress leaders there.

During an interaction with media persons on Thursday morning, Additional Director General of Police (South Bengal), Supratim Sarkar, admitted to the mistake.

“The police have all the details of this inadvertent mistake and will update the court. The police arrested Nirapada Sardar on February 11 based on an FIR registered against him on February 9. However, the date on the complaint on the basis of which the FIR was registered, was given as February 10,” he said.

While explaining the error in dates he said, “The complaint was filed at 9.50 p.m. on February 9. However, the date of the complaint was recorded as February 10. This was not done intentionally, it was an inadvertent mistake. A report has already been sought from the officials concerned.”

The CPI-M central committee member, Dr Sujan Chakraborty, however termed Sarkar’s explanation as a lame excuse.

“Such mistakes take place when the police blindly operate to serve the interest of the ruling party. The entire process of the arrest of Nirapada Sardar was scripted in advance. The police made some mistakes in interpreting that script,” Chakraborty said.

Earlier, when Nirapada Sardar approached the Calcutta High Court with a bail petition describing the discrepancies in the dates as a ploy to victimise him, the Division Bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi made strong observations regarding the real intention of the state police behind the arrest.

While ordering his immediate release on bail on February 28, the Division Bench also observed that it was quite intriguing that the former CPI-M legislator was arrested just on the basis of a complaint filed by someone against him.

Sardar was arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by local Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Hazra.

Shibu Hazra was later held on multiple charges that included farmland grabbing, sexual harassment and violence against women in Sandeshkhali.