HC to Bengal: Shame even if 1 pc of charges are true

KOLKATA: Observing that it would be “highly shameful” if even one per cent of the allegations of sexual assault in Sandeshkhali were found to be true, the Calcutta High Court on Thursday said that West Bengal’s image as safest state for women will fall.

Petitioner-lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal submitted a voluminous compilation before the court which she said contained around 100 affidavits of alleged victims of sexual assault, apart from those of land grabbing and violence. “If at least one per cent (of the allegations) is true, it is highly shameful,” a division bench presided by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam said.

The division bench was hearing a suo motu motion on alleged sexual assault and land grabbing at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district and petitions seeking transfer of investigation of these cases to the CBI. Opposing the prayers for transfer of investigation, West Bengal’s Advocate General Kishore Dutta claimed before the division bench that central agencies have lost the trust posed in them.

Maintaining that it is shameful if even one of the affidavits is correct, the Chief Justice said, “The entire district administration and the ruling dispensation have to owe moral responsibility, 100 per cent responsibility.”

He said that West Bengal boasts of a statistics report to be the safest state for women.

“As per the NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) report, West Bengal stands number one for safety of women; and if one affidavit filed by Tibrewal is proved to be right, the statistics falls, the public image falls, the opinion falls,” he said.

“If it falls and crumbles, you cannot resurrect it,” he said.

The court said that the world does not become dark if one closes his or her eyes.