Kolkata, May 26 (IANS) A single-judge vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday withdrew the interim protection against any coercive action, including arrest, granted earlier to Jahangir Khan, the Trinamool Congress candidate in Falta Assembly constituency, by a regular single-judge bench.

Last week, Calcutta High Court’s regular single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya granted interim protection to Khan till May 24, the day the results for the repolling in Falta were declared.

The matter came up for hearing before the single-judge vacation bench of Justice Partha Sarathi Sen on Tuesday.

After hearing the matter, Justice Sen observed that the interim protection granted on May 18 was given because Khan was a candidate for the repolling in Falta on May 21.

The court also observed that since Khan had not approached the Calcutta High Court seeking the quashing of the seven FIRs registered against him at Falta police station, there was no question of extending the interim protection.

The court further observed that the continuation of the interim protection merely on the assumption of a political vendetta against him because of the change in the political regime in West Bengal would be unjust.

With several FIRs registered against Khan in relation to alleged voters’ intimidation before and on the regular polling day in Falta on April 29, he approached the Calcutta High Court on May 18 with an anticipatory bail plea apprehending arrest ahead of the repoll on May 21.

The matter came up for hearing on the same day, and after hearing, Justice Bhattacharya granted him interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, till May 24.

Ahead of the repolling on May 21, Jahangir Khan, at a press conference, suddenly announced his withdrawal from the contest, expressing solidarity with the new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s special development package for Falta.

However, his withdrawal announcement was only symbolic, and his name continued to be displayed on the EVM on the repolling day.

On May 24, the results of the Falta repoll were declared, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, Debangshu Panda, clinched a landslide victory with a margin of over 1,00,000 votes.

While the CPI(M) candidate, Sambhunath Kurmi, finished second, Khan placed fourth, securing just 7,783 votes and forfeiting his deposit.

–IANS

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