New
Delhi:
A Supreme Court judge on Friday withdrew herself from hearing the post-poll
violence case in Bengal in which BJP workers were allegedly killed.
“I
do not wish to hear the case. Not before me,” Justice Indira Banerjee said as
she recused herself from the case. Justice Banerjee is from Kolkata.
Families
of the victims had gone to court asking for a Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI) probe.
The
Supreme Court had asked the Bengal government to reply in the case to which the
state said the petitions were “politically motivated” and wanted them
dismissed.
The
state also said every act of violence after elections cannot be called
post-poll violence.
The
Mamata Banerjee government also informed the Supreme Court last month that
three people have been arrested in connection with the alleged killing of two
BJP workers.
Due
to Justice Banerjee's withdrawal, the case will now be sent to another bench.
Two
gang-rape survivors have also appealed for a Special Investigation Team or the
CBI to probe their cases.
One
of the survivors is a minor from the Scheduled Caste community, allegedly
gang-raped in Murshidabad district on May 9. The other is a 60-year-old from
East Midnapore district, allegedly gang-raped on May 4 in front of her
6-year-old grandson.
Both
have claimed it was politically motivated violence.
The
BJP alleged that after the Trinamool Congress's sweeping victory in the
April-May election its goons killed BJP workers, attacked women members,
vandalised houses, looted shops belonging to party members and ransacked its
offices.
The
Bengal government said the post-poll violence was “somewhat unabated” when the
Election Commission was in-charge of law and order. The cabinet restored order
once the oath-taking ceremony was over, it said.
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