The Tripura High Court has said that the investigation into FIRs filed against senior Trinamool Congress leaders may continue but police cannot file a final report sans the court permission.
The HC on Wednesday posted the matter for further hearing on September 2, TOI reported.
The FIR had named TMC MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Dola Sen, Bengal education minister Bratya Basu, party leader Kunal Ghosh, former Tripura minister Prakash Das and former MLA Subal Bhowmik.
Ex-MLA Bhowmik had moved the HC pleading that the FIR against them be quashed.
Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing before Chief Justice Akil Kureshi, pleaded that the August 11 order of the chief judicial magistrate, Khowai for probe and asking for a final report on September 8 be quashed.
He alleged the complaint “has been lodged on the basis of false allegations and is motivated by political mala fides”.
Luthra further argued that the offences were bailable and there was no reason why the accused had to be produced before a magistrate for bail.
He also questioned the reason for bringing them to Khowai police station when the offence had been committed in a different police station area.
Tripura advocate general S S Dey argued that the persons implicated for violating Disaster Management Act were offered bail at the police station that they refused and insisted on being produced before the magistrate.
Justice Kureshi in his order said: “In the meantime, the investigation may go on.
However, final report shall not be filed without the leave of the Court.”
The FIR lodged by Khowai police alleged that after 14 Trinamool leaders were arrested and brought to the police station to be produced in court on August 8, senior TMC leaders arrived and tried to stop them from performing their duty.