GUWAHATI
The Gauhati High Court has issued notices to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal and the Kolkata Commissioner of Police over alleged non-cooperation with the Assam Police in executing a non-bailable arrest warrant against a Kolkata-based political commentator.
The commentator, Garga Chatterjee, had made certain objectional remarks against Swargadeo Sukapha, who founded Assam’s Ahom dynasty some 800 years ago. He had later tendered an unconditional apology on social media platforms.
The Crime Branch of the Assam Police had in October 2020 registered a case against the commentator and an advocate named Banashree Gogoi had later filed a petition in the High Court in the case.
Issuing the notice after hearing the case on June 15, the court of Justice Suman Shyam gave the West Bengal Chief Secretary and the Kolkata Commissioner of Police six weeks to respond.
The Assam Government’s counsel had earlier told the court that two separate non-bailable arrest warrants against the commentator and another person in West Bengal were issued by a lower court in Guwahati. But they could not be executed because of the lack of cooperation from the West Bengal police.
