3 Tripura CP-M leaders surrender in local court on apex court directions, sent to jail
"Three CPI-M leaders in Tripura surrendered before a local court following Supreme Court directions in a 2015 assault case on a judge. They were sent to jail as the legal battle continues."
Agartala: Three senior CPI-M leaders in Tripura—Tapas Datta, Trilokesh Sinha, and Babul Debnath—have surrendered before a local court in Belonia, South Tripura, following the directions of the Supreme Court.
The trio had been convicted in a case related to assaulting a judge during a nationwide strike in September 2015.
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The court ordered their immediate imprisonment, and the three leaders were sent to jail on Saturday afternoon. The next hearing in the Supreme Court is scheduled for March 18, 2024.
Background: Assault on a Judge in 2015 Protest
The case dates back to September 2, 2015, when the CPI-M-led nationwide strike resulted in a violent incident inside a courtroom in South Tripura. The three leaders were accused of creating chaos, attacking a judge, and disrupting judicial proceedings.
Following the incident, the Tripura Police registered a suo-moto case and launched an investigation. Charge sheets were subsequently filed against Tapas Datta, Trilokesh Sinha, and Babul Debnath, all prominent CPI-M functionaries.
- Tapas Datta is currently the CPI-M South Tripura District Secretary.
- Babul Debnath is a leader of the All India Kishan Sabha.
- Trilokesh Sinha is a senior leader in CITU, the trade union wing of the CPI-M.
Court Convictions & Legal Battle
The case went through multiple levels of the judiciary before reaching the Supreme Court:
- 2022: A first-class judicial magistrate convicted and sentenced the three CPI-M leaders to two years of rigorous imprisonment for assaulting the judge and creating a ruckus inside the courtroom.
- May 2023: The South Tripura District and Sessions Court upheld the trial court’s verdict, rejecting their plea for review.
- July 2023: The Tripura High Court also dismissed their appeal, reinforcing the two-year imprisonment sentence.
- 2024: The Supreme Court directed them to surrender before the trial court, before further hearings.
Following the apex court’s directive, the three CPI-M leaders surrendered before the local court in Belonia on March 2, 2024.
Supreme Court to Hear the Case on March 18
With their surrender now complete, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear their appeal on March 18. The defence lawyers argue that the CPI-M leaders are not guilty and have pleaded for a review of their conviction.
Political Reactions & CPI-M’s Stance
The CPI-M leadership has strongly opposed the verdict, calling it “politically motivated and unjust.” Senior CPI-M leaders have accused the BJP-led Tripura government of misusing the judicial system to suppress opposition voices.
The case has sparked political debates in Tripura, with CPI-M supporters protesting against the conviction and demanding the release of their leaders. On the other hand, ruling party leaders have welcomed the verdict, stating that “law and order should be upheld, regardless of political affiliations.”
Legal Experts Weigh In
Legal experts believe that the case sets an important precedent regarding violence in judicial premises. Assaulting a judge and disrupting legal proceedings is considered a serious offense, and the convictions reaffirm the independence of the judiciary.
However, with the case now before the Supreme Court, its final outcome remains uncertain. If the apex court overturns the verdict, the CPI-M leaders could walk free, but if it upholds the conviction, they will serve their full two-year sentence.
