SC refuses to entertain PIL seeking court-monitored probe into Sandeshkhali violence case

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a court-monitored CBI or SIT probe into the violence in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali village.

A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih said the Calcutta High Court is already seized of the matter and taken cognisance.

"Let there be no dual forums," the bench said while granting liberty to the PIL petitioner to approach the high court.


As the bench was disinclined to entertain the matter, petitioner-lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava withdrew the PIL. The matter was dismissed as withdrawn.

Sandeshkhali, a village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has been witnessing violent protests over allegations of sexual abuse of women by a local TMC leader and his supporters.

Several women have accused local Trinamool Congress strongman Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters of land grab and sexual assault.

Sheikh is absconding ever since a mob, allegedly linked to him, attacked Enforcement Directorate officials who had gone to search his premises in connection with a corruption case.