BJP Leader Seeks Anti-Terror Agency Probe Into Bengal Firecracker Unit Blast, Court Says No

The Calcutta High Court has refused to entertain a BJP leader's public interest litigation seeking a National Investigation Agency probe into Sunday's blast at an illegal firecracker unit in West Bengal that killed eight people. 

The PIL had been filed by BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, who had claimed that RDX may have been present at the blast site in Duttapukur in North 24 Parganas. 

The high court said it was premature to seek the directions mentioned in the petition. "What is the need for an immediate PIL? Is the investigation being derailed," the court asked the petitioner. 

Deputy Solicitor General Billwadal Bhattacharyya, appearing for the National Investigation Agency, informed the court that an NIA team had visited the site of the explosion on Monday. He also said that provisions of the Explosives Act had not been included in the FIR by the state police.

The allegation on the presence of RDX had been made by Mr Adhikari, who is the leader of the opposition in the state Assembly, during a press briefing on Monday. The BJP had also demanded a discussion on the issue in the Assembly.

The Trinamool Congress has hit out at Mr Adhikari and said he is behaving like an explosives expert. 

The West Bengal government has said that clusters of green firecracker units will be set up in the state to prevent explosions and ensure the safety of workers.

In May, a blast at an illegal cracker unit had led to the death of 12 people in Egra in East Midnapore. In the same month, three of a family, including a minor, were killed and several people were injured in a blast at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit at Budge Budge, about 26 km from Kolkata.