Nandigram firing: CBI seeks court nod for booking cops

NEW DELHI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to book West Bengal policemen responsible for opening fire on protesters in Nandigram, killing 14 villagers in 2007.

The CBI was asked by the Calcutta High Court to investigate the police firing incident.

The villagers were protesting against the acquisition of their lands for setting up a special economic zone.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the incident, the high court ordered a CBI probe into the police firing.

However, the state government moved the Supreme Court challenging the high court direction.

The apex court by its Dec 13, 2007 interim order restrained the CBI from initiating any criminal proceedings, including lodging of cases against any accused.

The state government argued that the high court direction on CBI probe was in breach of the federal polity of the country.

However, the CBI was allowed to continue with its preliminary investigation into the matter.

“The direction of the division bench insofar as initiation and registration of criminal proceedings before the court of law, pursuant to the report filed by the CBI, is stayed for the time being,” the apex court said earlier.

However, the CBI was permitted to file its report before the high court.

On Thursday, an apex court bench of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice H.L. Gokhale was told by the CBI that the apex court by its Feb 17 constitution bench judgment upheld the powers of high courts to order CBI probe, without seeking the nod of the state government.

The CBI asked the court to vacate the stay restraining it from initiation and registration of criminal proceedings.

The court said that it would hear the matter in the second week of September. The CBI made the plea during the course of mentioning of the matter in court.