HC rejects Arjun Singh's plea to dismiss FIR in Jagaddal shooting case

BJP leader Arjun Singh faces mounting legal trouble as the Calcutta High Court has refused to quash the First Information Report (FIR) filed against him in connection with a shooting incident. The ruling by Justice Joy Sengupta dismissed Singh’s application to have the FIR invalidated, confirming that the investigation against the prominent political figure will continue unabated.

The court has directed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT), operating under the direct command of the Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, Muralidhar Sharma, will take charge of the probe. While the court refused to dismiss the FIR, it did offer a narrow window of relief by confirming that the BJP leader is free to apply for anticipatory bail.

The incident that sparked the controversy occurred late on March 26 in the Meghna More area of Jagaddal. The unrest began as a clash erupted between laborers, and Arjun Singh, upon receiving the news, arrived at the spot with several companions. Singh’s initial complaint was that unidentified miscreants fired shots at his group before fleeing the scene.

Singh and his associates subsequently gave chase. During the pursuit, a youth was injured while attempting to escape, causing the area to become instantly volatile. The injured youth was quickly rescued and transported to the hospital, following which the police commenced their investigation into the shooting and the subsequent scuffle.

The Barrackpore Police summoned Arjun Singh twice for questioning in connection with the incident, but he failed to appear. Police officials then had to visit Singh at the Majdoor Bhavan in Bhatpara for interrogation. Following the questioning, the BJP leader reportedly left the state for personal reasons.