Bail plea of four Netai killing accused rejected

The Calcutta High Court has rejected the bail petition of Abani Singh and three other accused in the January 7 Netai killing where nine persons died in firing allegedly carried out by CPM cadres. While hearing the bail petition of the four — Abani Singh,Ashini Chawalak,Suven Mondal,Nabagopal Shanki — on Wednesday,the Division Bench of Chief Justice Jaynarayan Patel and Justice Ashim Kumar Roy issued direction for starting the trial into the incident next month.

While Asish Sanyal,the counsel of the four accused,told the court that they had not opened fire on the villagers,public prosecutor of the CBI,Himangsu De,said that the charge-sheet has named the four for criminal conspiracy and that they had played a role in running the armed camp at Netai village.

According to De,armed goons,hired by the CPM,were forcing the villagers to take up arms training. But when the villagers protested,they opened fire on them,said De. ENS