In a recent Supreme Court session, the plea for a court-monitored investigation into the violence sparked by the amendments to the Waqf Act in West Bengal was withdrawn by the petitioner. The bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Koiswar Singh, allowed advocate Shashank Shekhar Jha, representing himself, to retract his petition but gave him the option to submit a new one.
The justices criticized the lack of verification in Jha’s original submission, pointing out the reliance on media reports rather than concrete evidence. “You seem to be in some kind of hurry,” remarked the bench, suggesting a more thorough preparation for a subsequent filing.
The plea addressed the communal unrest in the Murshidabad district, notably in areas such as Suti, Samserganj, Dhulian, and Jangipur, following the enactment of the new Waqf law. The violence, occurring on April 11 and 12, resulted in several deaths and the displacement of hundreds. In response to the escalating violence, the Calcutta High Court had previously ordered the deployment of central forces to stabilize the situation.
