Overview
- A vacation bench of the Calcutta High Court led by Justice Partha Sarathi Sen on Tuesday removed the interim protection that had barred coercive police action against Jahangir Khan.
- The earlier protection was granted by a single-judge on May 18 specifically to allow Khan to take part in the May 21 Falta repoll and was limited in duration.
- Falta police have registered seven FIRs against Khan that allege offences including arson, assault, criminal intimidation and attempt to murder in connection with April 29 polling irregularities.
- Khan announced his withdrawal from the repoll days before May 21 but remained on the ballot and finished fourth with 7,783 votes while BJP candidate Debangshu Panda won by a margin of over 100,000 votes.
- With the court lift, police may now take coercive steps including arrest, a move that deepens scrutiny of alleged election-day intimidation and could shape local law-enforcement and political tensions in South 24 Parganas.