Calcutta HC Grants Anticipatory Bail To Youth Leader Meenakshi Mukherjee In Case Of Alleged Violence During Protest Against Murder Of Anis Khan

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to prominent youth leader and president of West Bengal Demorcatic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Meenakshi Mukherjee in a case pertaining to the incident of alleged violence during a march in Howrah on February 26 to protest the murder of youth leader Anis Khan.

Meenakshi and 16 others were arrested and slapped with attempt to murder charges for allegedly inciting violence during the protest to condemn student activist Anis Khan's murder. Khan was found dead at his home in Amta block in Howrah district in the early hours of February 19, 2022. Alleging that four persons had come to their house on Friday night donning police and civic volunteer uniforms, Khan's father has claimed that his son was pushed off the third floor of their house in Amta.

A Bench comprising Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Bibhas Ranjan De ordered, 

"Considering the nature of injuries suffered and considering the gravity of the offence and the involvement of the petitioners therein, we are inclined to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioners."

The Court further directed that in the event of arrest the petitioners shall be released on bail upon furnishing a bond of Rs.10,000 each, with two sureties of like amount each, to the satisfaction of the arresting officer and also be subject to the conditions as laid down under Section 438(2) of the CrPC. The petitioners were also ordered to cooperate with the investigation. 

Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya appearing for the petitioner submitted that the petitioners were part of an agitation of about 400 people in respect of an unnatural death case. He further alleged that the petitioners were falsely implicated as they subscribed to a particular political ideology. 

On the other hand, the counsel for the State drew the attention of the Court to the statements recorded under Section 161 of the CrPC and the materials in the case diary. He further submitted that five police personnel were injured.

It may be noted that the High Court on Tuesday took on record a detailed 82-page report filed by the State government indicating the steps taken by the Special Investigation Team (SIT)  towards the investigation into the death of Anis Khan. Upon perusal of the report, the Court noted that the investigation into the case is nearing completion.

Case Title: In the matter of : Ms. Minakhi Mukherjee & Ors.

Case Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Cal) 130

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