Calcutta High Court Imposes 10K Cost On Litigants For Filing 'Fake' Post-Poll Violence Case

The Calcutta High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 5000 each on a petitioner and defendant for filing a fake case relating to post-poll violence in West Bengal in the aftermath of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

A single bench of Justice Amrita Sinha imposed the total cost of Rs 10,000 when the parties had approached the court seeking to withdraw their case.

During the hearing of the case, the parties had submitted before the Court that they wished to withdraw the case as an amicable settlement had been arrived at between them after the petitioners initially claimed that they were BJP workers who were ousted from their homes by those belonging to the ruling dispensation.

State counsel had submitted that upon investigation it had been revealed that the petitioners were not ousted from their homes, but were instead living there and had attempted to give their neighbourly dispute a colour of post-poll violence.

While allowing the parties to withdraw their case, the Court imposed a cost of Rs 5,000 each on them.

Justice Sinha further directed for the funds to be utilised in favour of renovating the ladies' washrooms in the High Court premises.

Notably, the Calcutta High Court has been seized of various PILs on post-poll violence and had directed the State to ensure safe passage for all those who had been displaced in the violence. 

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Cal) 153

Case: GOPA DAS VS STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS

Case No: WPA/14667/2024