In what turned out to be something of an anti-climax, the Calcutta High Court, which had asked for a CBI probe into the Nandigram issue, said the report submitted by the agency will not be discussed now.

The division bench of Chief Justice S S Nijjar and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh also refused to pass further direction regarding the continuation of CBI investigation. The matter comes up for hearing after three weeks. The CBI had submitted the report before the division bench on March 22.

The courtroom today was jam-packed with curious onlookers, advocates and others, eagerly awaiting to hear the CBI findings in Nandigram. CBI Joint director B B Mishra and advocate Ranjan Roy were present too. The hearing lasted for about fifty minutes. Advocate Idris Ali submitted that the bench disclose the CBI report, which was refused.

The state Advocate General, Balai Roy, submitted before the Bench that the Governor not be dragged into the legal process. He pointed out that the statement made by the Governor after the March14 incident had been attached with the order passed by the bench on March 15 by some petitioners.

Appearing for the CBI, Advocate Kalyan Banerjee submitted that the situation in Nandigram is slowly returning to normal following CBI probe in accordance with the court’s March 15 order.

Banerjee argued that the CBI be directed to carry on the investigation as a regular criminal case and the state be directed to hand over all records on the issue from January 3, 2007, from Nandigram and Khejuri police stations.

... contd.