Upholding the writ petition of Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra seeking compensation for his arrest for forwarding graphics of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday observed that his "human rights were indeed violated by the public servants."
Prof. Mahapatra was arrested in April 2012 by officers of Jadavpur Purba police station in the south Kolkata for forwarding an e-mail containing graphics of Ms. Banerjee modeled on Satyajit Ray’s film, Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress). In August 2012, The West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC) headed by Justice (retd.) A K Ganguly had awarded a compensation of Rs 50,000 to Prof. Mahapatra and his neighbour for their arrest.
However, the State Government refused to pay the compensation. Later, Prof. Mahapatra filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking compliance of the recommendations of WBHRC. The decision comes as a setback to the Trinamool Congress government in the State.
Delivering the order, Justice Dipnakar Datta said that the State should pay Rs 50,000 compensation to the petitioner within a month of the receipt of the order. The Court also imposed an additional cost of Rs 50,000 on the State to be paid to the petitioner as legal expenses.
Justice Datta in his order also recommended disciplinary proceedings against two police officers of the local police station involved in the arrest. The WBHRC had also made similar observations inits recommendation to the State government more than two years ago.
Speaking to The Hindu Prof, Mahapatra lauded the verdict and said that the court "has upheld the freedom of speech." He expressed satisfaction that additional cost has been imposed on the State to account for his legal expenses.
