Justice Jay Sengupta of the Calcutta High Court today recused himself from hearing the writ petition filed by former judge and now BJP leader Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who is booked in criminal case by the West Bengal Police for assaulting protesting teachers.Justice Sengupta said that he knows Justice Gangopadhyay very closely and therefore, released the matter from his list."I know him (Justice Gangopadhyay) very closely. I will release this matter from my list. Also, I am sure, they (State) will act reasonably," he said.Accordingly, the Court ordered that the matter be placed before Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam so that the matter could be heard by another judge.The case was mentioned on May 13 by Gangopadhyay's counsel, advocate Rajdeep Majumdar, who alleged that the first information report (FIR) was politically motivated to stop Gangopadhyay from campaigning for the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections.The plea besides seeking the quashing of the FIR, has also sought directions to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter.The State police had lodged the FIR against Gangopadhyay for allegedly assaulting dismissed school employees at their protest site.Gangopadhyay was booked for attempt to murder and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after a complaint by certain teaching and non-teaching staff members who lost their jobs following a ruling from the Calcutta High Court in the school jobs for cash scam case.The altercation reportedly took place on May 4 when Gangopadhyay, accompanied by party colleague Suvendu Adhikari, spearheaded a rally before submitting his nomination papers for the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat.Throughout the rally, certain BJP supporters allegedly assaulted teachers who were protesting after they lost their jobs in the wake of the High Court ruling.
TAGS: Calcutta High Court Justice Jay Sengupta recusal writ petition BJP leader Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay criminal case assault teachers West Bengal Police FIR
