Sahanara Bibi v. The State Of West Bengal And ORS.

15.01.2025 W.P.A. 30241 of 2024 Item No.28 Ct. No.35 dc.

Sahanara Bibi versus The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Bidyut Kumar Halder, Mr. Indranil Halder ... For the Petitioner.

Mr. Jayanta Samanta, Mr. Indumouli Banerjee ... For the State.

Mr. Soumya Nag, Mr. Aditya Tiwari ... For the Respondent No.4.

Affidavit-of-service filed in Court today be kept with the record.

Report submitted by the learned advocate appearing for the State be also kept with the record. A copy of the report (without enclosures) be handed over to the learned advocate appearing for the petitioner.

The petitioner is aggrieved by the fact that private respondent no.4 had been extorting money from people including the petitioner and others by way of showing firearms. The petitioner informed the police station. However, according to the petitioner, no steps were taken by the police authorities.

State has submitted a report which reflects that the police authorities have registered three cases being Kalitala Ashuti PS Case No. 168/2023 dated 18.07.2023, Kalitala Ashuti PS Case No. 172/2024 dated 05.10.2024 and Kalitala Ashuti PS Case No. 210/2024 dated 19.11.2024. In one of the

cases charge-sheet has been submitted and in rest of the cases, investigation is still under progress. The petitioner happens to be a witness in the case. In view of the aforesaid, the jurisdictional Magistrate would direct the police authorities to assess the threat perception of the petitioner and pass necessary directions under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 for ensuring that the life and liberty of the petitioner is ensured and the petitioner do not feel insecure to depose before the court at the relevant point of time.

The police authorities are also directed to keep a strict vigil and ensure that no breach of the peace takes place and/or any untoward incident results.

With the aforesaid observations, the writ petition being WPA 30241 of 2024 is disposed of. There will be no order as to costs.

All concerned parties shall act on the server copy of this order duly downloaded from the official website of this Court.

Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance with all requisite formalities.

(Tirthankar Ghosh, J.)