Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday quashed an FIR against former Visva-Bharati VC Bidyut Chakrabarty for assaulting, intimidating a freelance photographer and robbing his camera in August 2020. The HC said if the proceedings against Chakrabarty are allowed to continue on this complaint it will be an “abuse of the process of the court.”
The incident had allegedly taken place a day after the university had imposed Covid restrictions, which included closing down the ashram complex to outsiders, and banning photography in the mandir complex.On that day, while the university officials were trying to enforce Covid curbs, the lensman was found clicking photographs. He was asked to leave. According to the photographer’s complaint, he was assaulted, threatened and his mobile camera destroyed. The university had informed this to the Santiniketan PS. But cops had already initiated a case based on the photographer’s complaint.
Justice Shampa Dutt (Paul) stated: “The medical papers do not prima facie show any visible injury.” tnn