KOLKATA: The West Bengal Government has withdrawn the Nandigram firing case from the Supreme Court, clearing the way for the CBI to continue with its investigation.
On March 14, 2007, at least 14 people were killed in police firing while protesting forcible land acquisition in Nandigram by the Left Government for setting up of a chemical hub.
The CBI is now free to investigate high-ranking police officials as well as the lower rung ones who were responsible for the firing.
The Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the incident, prompting the erstwhile Left Front Government to challenge the order in the apex court, stating that the High Court can’t order a CBI probe without the consent of the state.
In November last year, the Mamata Banerjee government had indicated that the state would withdraw the case from the Supreme Court.
State Law Minister Moloy Ghatak had called it a ‘wrong step’ taken by the Buddhadeb Bhattarcharjee government.