The West Bengal government on Saturday approached the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's order directing the Kolkata Police to release Sayan Lahiri, one of the convenors of the Nabanna Abhijan (March to Secretariat) call given on August 27 to condemn the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month.
Passing the order on Friday, the single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta High Court also made it clear that no coercive action can be taken against Lahiri, not just in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan, but also in relation to any other police case against him.
Sources said that although Lahiri was released on Saturday afternoon honouring the Calcutta High Court's order, the state government has now approached the apex court seeking to reverse the high court ruling so that Lahiri can be again taken into custody.
In the petition filed before the Calcutta High Court on Friday, Lahiri's counsel had accused the city police of arresting his client on false charges. The petition was admitted and heard on an emergency basis.
After his release on Saturday, Lahiri said that despite all the hurdles that came his way, he will continue to protest till justice is delivered in the R.G. Kar case and all the others who were arrested in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan are released.
Lahiri was arrested earlier this week from outside the office of a vernacular news channel where he came for a panel discussion on the R.G. Kar issue and the Nabanna Abhijan.
However, on Friday the high court directed the police to release him by 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The court also rejected the argument of the state government's counsel that Lahiri was a 'highly influential' person.
Parts of Kolkata and Howrah turned into virtual battlefields on the afternoon of August 27 following clashes between the police and the protesters.
At many places, the police had to resort to lathi-charge, firing of teargas shells, and use of water cannons to disperse the protesters moving towards the state Secretariat located in the Mandirtala area of Howrah district, which is adjacent to Kolkata.
A total of 220 arrests were made in this connection in addition to 25 preventive arrests that were made before the march.
Sri Lankan Navy arrests 32 Tamil fishermen, five boats seized
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 32 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Lankan waters.
Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi hails ISRO's century in rocket launches, urges people to dedicate a day for science
Addressing the 119th episode of his monthly radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat', on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Indian Space Research Organisation, saying it has hit the century in space. Last month, the country witnessed the ISRO's 100th rocket launch.
Mizoram student stabbed to death in Kerala, batchmate arrested
A 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram was stabbed to death near his college in Thiruvananthapuram. The deceased, Valentine, was a student at Rajadhani Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagaroor.
Italy PM slams Left's double standards, says when Trump, Meloni, Modi talk, they are called threat to democracy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has accused left-wing politicians of being "nervous" over former US President Donald Trump's victory, claiming that conservatives are unfairly labelled as a "threat to democracy" while leftist leaders are celebrated for similar global alliances.
NDRF intensifies rescue operation to save 8 trapped in Telangana tunnel
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams on Sunday intensified rescue efforts to save eight persons trapped in an under-construction tunnel after a portion of its roof collapsed in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on February 22.
Israel delays Palestinian prisoner release after 'humiliating' hostage handovers
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the release of Palestinian prisoners would be delayed until Hamas ceases its "humiliating ceremonies" during the release of Israeli hostages under the ceasefire deal.
PM Modi on 3-day visit to MP, Bihar, Assam from today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Assam from February 23 to 25 to participate in several developmental projects and inaugurate business summits.
US senators call out China for 'weaponising' UN 1971 resolution, vow support to Taiwan
The United States Senators accused China of subverting United Nations Resolution 2758 in an attempt to isolate Taiwan. The senators proposed a resolution in the Senate reaffirming US support for Taiwan. The resolution opposes China's attempt to prevent Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations.