HC REJECTS BENGAL’S PROBE REPORT IN AMPHAN RELIEF GRAFT CASE

The Calcutta High Court has questioned the West Bengal government’s investigation in to the Amphan relief corruption case. The HC has not accepted the state’s investigation report. Relief materials worth crores of rupees were allegedly stored in the godown of the panchayat deputy chief’s house. Although the police lodged an FIR, no specific section was investigated. A case was filed in the Calcutta High Court on that issue. Monday was the hearing of that case. Seeing the investigation report, the court, in effect, reprimanded the state. Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal said, “All these reports have been given only for eyewash.” Bindal turned down the state’s investigation report and the state has been directed to report again on 26 September.

As per the court’s observation, the report does not mention exactly what action has been taken against the accused. The court had earlier asked the state to find out about the matter. There has been corruption in the relief meant for the people after such a catastrophic natural calamity, but there is no mention of what the state government has done to the accused, the judge said. The judge claimed that the report was made to “throw dust in the eyes of the court and the people”.

In 2020, the state distributed relief materials in Block 2, Basirhat. Five trucks loaded with relief were sent to Ghoraras Kulin village in the block for distribution. It was alleged that the material was stored illegally in the godown of the house of the deputy head of the gram panchayat. Later, villagers rescued two trucks loaded with relief from the area adjacent to the Maltipur station. They complained that relief materials were being smuggled from the area. The villagers approached the Matia police station with this complaint. The police filed an FIR. Although a “self-motivated” FIR was lodged, the villagers complained that an appropriate section of the Indian Penal Code had not been added.

A public interest litigation was filed in the Calcutta High Court after alleged “negligence” in the police investigation. The court ordered a report on the case in August. Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal had then asked the state, “How does corruption happen during a natural disaster like Amphan? Note that the Calcutta High Court had directed the CAG to investigate the Amphan corruption. One of the issues in that investigation was the distribution of relief supplies.”