West Bengal post-poll violence: CBI opposes Supiyan plea, says custodial interrogation required to unearth larger conspiracy of planned political rioting

New Delhi [India], January 31 : CBI opposed the plea filed by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader SK Supiyan, who was the election agent of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, and urged the court to dismiss his petition seeking relief, saying that there are cogent reasons to justify the arrest of the petitioner and his custodial interrogation to unearth a wider and larger conspiracy of planned political rioting and revenge.
"Thus as per the material and statement on record pertaining to the offence in question, there are cogent reasons to justify the arrest of the petitioner and his custodial interrogation to unearth a wider and larger conspiracy of planned political rioting and revenge, " said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in a reply filed opposing Supiyan plea.
"In view of the antecedents and the conduct of the accused as pointed out above the petitioner/accused (Supiyan) does not deserve the relief of anticipatory bail contemplated under section 438 of CrPC. The present petition is there liable to be dismissed," the CBI said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation told the Supreme Court that the gravity of the offences committed by Supiyan alias Suffian for which he is being investigated, the motive and intention with which such heinous offences were planned and executed by the petitioner does not entitle him from seeking any relief at this stage.
CBI, in its reply, filed stated that the witnesses have identified and stated, about the criminal conspiracy hatched by the petitioner accused on May 5, 2021, after the declaration of result of Nandigram Constituency with others to teach a lesson to the Hindus who voted for BJP resulting in TMC candidate's loss in Nandigram assembly constituency.
The probe agency also said that at present all the accused in the matter are in custody and considering the seriousness of the offence none of them has been granted bail except two who were granted bail before the transfer of the cases to CBI.
The CBI submitted that in the present case accused Supiyan is being investigated for a heinous offence planned and executed by him in furtherance of his motive of seeking political revenge from a section of society that refused to toe the line and refused to follow the voting pattern in accordance with the petitioner's political ideology and allegiance and did not vote for his party in the assembly elections of the state.
CBI, in its reply also alleged that Supiyan allegedly instigated and mobilised the crowd comprising of co-accused but also lead them to riot, murder and inflict grievous physical injuries on the section of society that did not vote as per the dictate of the petitioner and voted for the other parties, due to which the candidate, of whom the petitioner was an election agent, lost the election.
"As per the records of the investigations conducted so far all of this was done by the petitioner to send a political message that any political opposition would be punished with death, grievous injuries and with extreme mental trauma. It is submitted that the aforesaid acts of the commission constitute heinous offences against the society and destroy the very fabric of the body polity of the state, " the CBI said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest to Trinamool Congress leader SK Supiyan, who was the election agent of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram, in connection with a murder case which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been investigating.
The matter was listed before a Bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai today, which adjourned the matter for Wednesday.
The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by Supiyan challenging an order of the Calcutta High Court which rejected his anticipatory bail plea. The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the CBI opposed Supian's plea and said that it is a very serious offence and the man is quite powerful.
The CBI is probing the killing of a BJP worker in the Nandigram constituency which took place during the post-poll violence that transpired in West Bengal after the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress won the state assembly polls in May 2021.
The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into various incidents of killings and sexual assault that took place in the state allegedly at the behest of the ruling party.