kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata, October 1: The Calcutta High Court has extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in a case involving allegations of hurting religious sentiments. The protection will remain in force until January 29, 2027. The court has made it clear that while Moitra will continue to have protection from arrest, the police investigation into the case will proceed and she must fully cooperate with the investigating agency. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on January 13.

The order was passed on Thursday by a bench headed by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya. The court had earlier granted Moitra interim relief from coercive action until October 5. That protection has now been extended, allowing the investigation to continue without the immediate possibility of her arrest in connection with the case.

The case stems from alleged remarks made by Moitra during a Facebook Live broadcast from her official social media account on June 15. A written complaint was subsequently lodged at Hogalberia police station in Nadia by Hirak Bhattacharya, identified as the general secretary of the BJP's Karimpur Mandal 4. Following the complaint, police registered an FIR and began investigating the allegations.

Moitra subsequently approached the Calcutta High Court challenging the police action and seeking protection from coercive steps. During the earlier proceedings, her counsel argued that the alleged offences carried relatively limited punishment and sought protection while the investigation continued. The court had permitted the investigation to proceed while directing Moitra to cooperate with the investigating agency.

The court's latest order does not put the investigation on hold. Instead, the interim protection means that Moitra will remain protected from arrest for the specified period while the police continue their inquiry in accordance with the court's directions. Her cooperation with the investigation remains a condition attached to the relief.

Alongside the criminal case, the High Court has also continued the additional security arrangement for Moitra during her visits to her Krishnanagar parliamentary constituency. The court has extended the deployment of two police personnel with her until November 30. The security arrangement follows allegations of egg pelting and harassment during her visits to the constituency.

The security issue became prominent after an incident in September when eggs were allegedly thrown at Moitra during a visit to Tehatta in Nadia district. She had gone to a party office for an internal meeting when protesters reportedly gathered outside, waved black flags and raised slogans. Eggs were subsequently thrown at her vehicle. Moitra alleged that the incident occurred despite an earlier court direction for police protection.

The High Court had earlier directed the Krishnanagar police to deploy two personnel whenever Moitra entered her constituency. The September 1 order came amid allegations of repeated harassment during her constituency visits. The court had said that adequate protection was necessary to enable an elected representative to carry out her duties.

Moitra later returned to the High Court alleging that the security arrangement had not prevented the September 16 incident at Tehatta. Her petition alleged police inaction during the egg pelting incident. The court considered the matter but did not grant an urgent hearing at that stage, with the case proceeding through the regular legal process.

There has also been a procedural development concerning petitions linked to egg pelting incidents. The division bench headed by Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge had directed the High Court Registry to identify petitions concerning egg pelting involving individuals or public figures. Those matters are to be placed before the division bench. In view of that direction, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya has directed that Moitra's petition concerning the security issue be placed before the Chief Justice's division bench.

The latest developments therefore involve two separate but overlapping legal issues concerning the Trinamool Congress MP. In the religious sentiments case, her interim protection from arrest has been extended until January 29 while the police investigation continues. Separately, the court has extended the additional police security arrangement for her constituency visits until November 30 following allegations of egg pelting and harassment.

For now, Moitra remains protected from arrest in the criminal case subject to her cooperation with the investigation, while the police security arrangement during her visits to Krishnanagar also remains in place. Further proceedings in the protection case are scheduled for January 13, while the broader legal proceedings concerning the alleged egg pelting incidents will continue before the appropriate High Court bench.