HC stays proceedings against RPF men

Kolkata, 2 Sep: The Calcutta High Court today stayed proceedings in a criminal case against RPF personnel who had been gheraoed allegedly by CITU activists during a raid at steel rolling mills in Burdwan and were forced to release four persons arrested for possession of railway property.

Justice Asim Kumar Roy, hearing the petition filed by 10 RPF personnel, stayed the proceedings and directed the state to file an affidavit within four weeks.

In July, the RPF personnel on orders from superiors raided two rolling mills in Burdwan and recovered huge quantity of property stolen from the railways, a petition by these personnel said.

When they arrested four persons from the premises, a huge mob of 1,000 people, allegedly owing allegiance to CITU, gheraoed and threatened the RPF personnel with dire consequences if the four were not released, it said.

The state police refused to provide any assistance to the RPF personnel initially, and only after intervention from senior officers did the mob leave the place.

However, the two companies, NNP Industries and Shamshel, filed cases against the RPF personnel alleging illegal entry, taking possession of company materials by force, among other charges.

The RPF personnel today moved the High Court seeking quashing of the criminal cases against them.


(PTI)