Bengal post-poll violence: SC sends notice to state govt on plea for CBI probe into killing of BJP workers

The plea alleged "indiscriminate" killing of innocents across the state "in a coordinated manner" after the Assembly poll results.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the West Bengal government on a plea for a CBI probe into the killings of two BJP workers in post-poll violence, witnessed after the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) secured a third consecutive term.

A vacation bench of Justices Vineet Saran and B R Gavai sought a response from the Mamata Banerjee government on a petition filed by Biswajit Sarkar, the brother of slain Bengal BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar.

Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, appearing for the petitioner, contended that violence was unleashed at the behest of the state administration as not only was there total inaction, but the police also stood idly and people were left to die.

The court, after briefly hearing the matter, sought a reply from the Bengal government and put it for consideration on Tuesday, May 25.

The plea alleged "indiscriminate" killing of innocents across the state "in a coordinated manner" after the Assembly polls results.

It sought a direction for an SIT probe as it was "impossible" to conduct a fair and impartial enquiry into murder of Avijit Sarkar, along with Bengal BJP booth worker, Haran Adhikari.

The petitioners, who claimed to be eye-witnesses to the killing of Sarkar on May 2, alleged that the mob dragged him out of his house, tied the CCTV camera wire around his neck, smashed his head and brutally killed him in front of his mother.