The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the West Bengal government to ensure police register criminal cases for all instances of egg pelting targeted at accused individuals or political opponents.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee issued the order during a hearing on a public interest litigation seeking to halt the practice across the state. The court instructed the state administration to draft formal guidelines to curb the trend and mandated a progress report by next month.
State Duty and Fundamental Rights
The bench emphasized that the state bears a direct responsibility to protect individuals once they are taken into police custody. The judges observed that facing criminal charges does not strip an individual of their fundamental rights.
Addressing the root of the issue, the court remarked that isolated arrests would not resolve the problem, describing the behavior as a broader issue requiring greater social awareness.
Arguments and Allegations
During the hearing, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, representing the petitioners, accused the state government of permitting the incidents to occur. Banerjee alleged that police officers have actively enabled public targeting by parading accused individuals through various neighborhoods.
In response, the Additional Advocate General stated that the West Bengal government does not condone individuals taking the law into their own hands. He noted that authorities have already arrested several people suspected of throwing eggs at individuals accused of extortion and other crimes.
Compliance Deadline
The court directed the state government to submit an affidavit by July 20. This filing must detail the specific steps taken to address the issue, alongside the total number of First Information Reports registered by the police regarding egg-pelting incidents.
