Nandigram deaths: CBI seeks nod to book cops

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday questioned the West Bengal government on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea seeking the nod for prosecuting police officials accused of indiscriminate firing in Nandigram that killed 14 people in 2007.

Apart from the deaths, the police firing in Nandigram March 14, 2007 injured 167 protesters who were opposing a proposed special economic zone (SEZ) project in East Midnapore district.

An apex court bench of Justice R.V. Raveendran and Justice H.L. Gokhale issued a notice to the state government after it was told that the investigating agency has completed the probe and was ready to file a chargesheet.

The Calcutta High Court had Nov 16, 2007 ordered the CBI probe into the firing.

The high court order was challenged by the state government on the plea that a CBI probe could not be ordered without the consent of the government.

The apex court while referring the contention of the state government to the constitution bench asked the CBI to go ahead with the probe but restrained it from launching the prosecution against any police officials.

Since the constitution bench of the apex court has already ruled that the high courts and the Supreme Court can order investigations by the CBI, the investigating agency moved the court seeking its nod to go ahead with the prosecution.