Police officers involved in Rizwanur case move SC

New Delhi, Nov 20 (UNI) Three police officers of Kolkata today moved the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court order directing them to surrender before the area Magistrate tomorrow in connection with their alleged involvement in the death of Rizwanur Rahman under mysterious circumstances.

The three petitioners are former Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective Department) Ajay Kumar, ACP Sukanti Chakraborty and Sub Inspector Krishnendu Das.

The petition filed by them challenging the High Court order dated November 18 cancelling their bail and directing them to surrender by tomorrow, is likely to be mentioned for urgent hearing before the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.

Counsel for the petitioners will pray to the apex court for interim protection against the High Court order at least till the next hearing of the case.

The police officers were facing allegations of torturing and harassing Rizwanur due to which he committed suicide.

The main allegations were that the police officers harassed the deceased at the instance of Kolkata based businessman Ashok Todi who was against the marriage of his daughter Priyanka Todi to Rizwanur.

The petitioners have contended that there is no justification for cancelling their bail granted to them by the sessions court.

According to the petitioners they were not misusing their liberty granted by the district court and that the High Court has committed grave error in cancelling their bail and therefore, the impugned order of the High Court is liable to be set aside.

The petitioners have also prayed to the apex court to stay the operation of the High Court order till the final disposal of their special leave petition.

The apex court had, earlier stayed the arrest of Ashok Todi who is also an accused in the case.

The family members of the deceased, however, alleged that Rizwanur was murdered and he did not commit suicide.

Priyanka Todi in her statement has, meanwhile, stated that she had advised him to have some patience as things will become normal after sometime, but he could not put up with the emotional pressure and took the extreme step.

UNI SC AE RP KN1844