After two high profile judges recused themselves from hearing cases against the West Bengal government, the Mamata Banerjee government now seems to be coming after judges that are seemingly not in its favour. Reportedly, West Bengal Bar Council, on June 25, wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, seeking the removal of Justice Rajesh Bindal from the post of the Acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.
The letter read, “Justice Bindal is a partial, unfair and biased judge whose continuance at the High Court interferes with fair and impartial dispensation of justice.”
However, it is pertinent to note that Ashok Kumar Deb, advocate and Chairman of Bar Council of West Bengal, who signed the six-page letter is a TMC MLA and thus it is certain that Mamata is pulling the strings of the entire charade.
Letterhead: Bar Council of #WestBengal
Letter on behalf of: Members of the #WestBengal Bar Association (not Council)
Request: Remove acting chief justice of Calcutta HC since he is close to #BJP
Letter's author: Bar Council's chairman Ashok Kumar Deb WHO IS A #TMC MLA pic.twitter.com/EsnSur8ysM
— Utkarsh Anand (@utkarsh_aanand) June 27, 2021
The letter alleged discrepancies in the hearing of the Narada sting operation case, stating that Justice Bindal stayed an interim bail order passed by a Special CBI Court in favour of a “certain political dispensation” without giving the aggrieved parties an opportunity of being heard.
Reported extensively by TFI, CBI is looking to transfer the Narada case hearing from the Special CBI court in Kolkata, owing to the increasing lawlessness in the state which has been hampering the work of the premier investigative agency, especially when the culprits involved are from the top hierarchy of the ruling TMC party.
In May, when CBI was supposed to present the arrested TMC leaders in front of the court, a huge crowd of alleged TMC goons led by none other than Mamata gathered outside the CBI’s Kolkata office in the Nizam Palace area, apparently looking to frighten the agency.
Mamata Banerjee, held a dharna at the spot, contending that the way the ministers were arrested “without due procedure”, the CBI “will have to arrest me too”. However, the case proceeded somehow and the High Court refused to grant interim bail to the TMC culprits.
With the High Court granting no respite to Mamata’s close aides, she seems to now have resorted to getting the Chief Justice removed from his post so that she can plant her proxy on the bench.
The Bar Council didn’t stop complaining here and said that Justice Bindal was doing the bidding for West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar as there were pictures of Bindal visiting the Governor traversing the realms of social media. The letter read, “The picture, coupled with the conduct of Justice Bindal, seem to suggest that he is doing the bidding of the Governor at Calcutta High Court.”
As reported by TFI, while the SC judges namely Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Aniruddha Bose recused from hearing the cases related to Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court and its 5-judge Bench headed by Justice Rajesh Bindal was breathing down the neck of the Mamata government and ordered the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to constitute a committee to examine complaints filed by persons who were displaced during the post-poll violence in West Bengal.
The HC had said, “In a case like where the allegation is that life and property of the residents of the State is in danger on account of alleged post-poll violence, the State cannot be allowed to proceed in the manner it likes. The complaints required immediate action… It is the duty of the State to maintain law and order in the State and inspire confidence in the residents of the State.”
Justice Bindal acting tough on the post-poll violence in the state and the Narada scam has rattled the TMC supremo. While her alleged reign of terror has managed to evoke fear in the hearts of a few judges, the West Bengal Chief Justice is not willing to drop in the towel. His tenacity has ruffled few feathers in the Mamata camp and she is now using Bar Council to peddle her venomous agenda.
