Bengal SIR important, but not being conducted properly: Netaji's grandnephew
Kolkata (PTI): Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose, who appeared for West Bengal SIR hearings, said on Monday that the ongoing electoral roll revision exercise was “important” but “not being conducted properly”.
Bose, who had contested the 2016 assembly elections and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on BJP tickets, called the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll "sheer harassment" and claimed that it lacks clarity.
The sexagenarian said that he, his wife and daughter appeared for the hearing on January 16, while his two sons, who are abroad, had authorised them to appear on their behalf.
"The SIR is important, but the way it is being conducted is not proper. Common people are being harassed in the name of SIR. I do not see the reason for conducting it in such a hurry," he told PTI.
Bose claimed that he and his family members had submitted all the requisite documents along with their enumeration forms.
"Yet, we were summoned for a hearing. The reason given was quite surprising, as poll officials said there was a problem with the linkage. I am not complaining because I was called for SIR, but the entire process is a hodgepodge without any clarity," he alleged.
This is "sheer harassment, nothing else", Bose claimed.
"First, they said my name could not be found in the 2002 voters' list, and later they found my name. Now, after submitting the forms with all the valid documents, they claimed that there was a problem with the linkage. If it is a technical issue, who should be held responsible for that?" he asked.
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NIA court to complete framing of charges against 2010 hand-chopping case accused on May 15
Kochi (PTI): A special court here will complete proceedings for framing charges against the prime accused in the 2010 hand-chopping case involving professor T J Joseph, in which PFI activists were accused of attacking him at Muvattupuzha.
Ernakulam Special Court for NIA cases judge P K Mohandas, on April 30, heard the arguments of counsel for accused Savad and Shafeer C and decided to proceed with framing charges against the duo.
A group chopped off Thodupuzha Newman College professor Joseph's right hand in July 2010, accusing him of religious blasphemy in a question paper he had prepared.
The case, later taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), resulted in the conviction of 19 accused.
The first accused, Savad, who allegedly chopped off Joseph’s palm, was arrested in Berram in Mattannur, Kannur, in January 2024, where he had allegedly been hiding under the pseudonym Shajahan.
The NIA also arrested Shafeer, who allegedly arranged shelter and provided logistical support to Savad at Chakkad and Mattannur in Kannur since 2020.
On April 30, the court heard the counsel for the accused and the NIA prosecutor on framing charges against the duo.
"On going through the documents and evidence in the case and on hearing the counsel for the accused and the prosecutor, I am of the opinion that there are grounds for presuming that the first accused has committed offences punishable under provisions of the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and that the second accused has committed offences punishable under the IPC and the UAPA, and there are materials for framing charges under these provisions against the accused," the court said.
The court directed that Savad be produced and Shafeer, who is on bail, appear before it on May 15 for recording their pleas as part of the charge-framing process.
After framing the charges, the court will schedule the trial in the case.
