Calcutta, Dec. 23: The Mamata Banerjee government is yet to permit the CBI to prosecute three policemen, including two IPS officers, accused in the Nandigram firing even after six months of the central agency seeking its nod.
Opposition leaders said the Trinamul chief had failed to keep her pre-election promise of bringing "justice" to the people of Nandigram, where 14 land protesters were killed in police firing in 2007.
A reminder from the CBI to the state government to either grant permission to chargesheet the officers or explain the reasons for the delay reached Writers' Buildings earlier this month.
"A letter (memo number 6229) dated November 29, 2012, reached chief secretary Sanjay Mitra's office earlier this month. It's a reminder to an earlier letter (memo number 2242A) dated May 23, 2012, in which the CBI had sought the government's permission to prosecute the accused policemen," a senior state home department official told The Telegraph.
Another home department official said: "According to a Supreme Court guideline, a sanction sought by an investigating agency should not be withheld for over three months."
Police sources, however, said a guideline did not have a legal binding on the state.
Junior railway minister Adhir Chowdhury accused Mamata of lying to the people of Nandigram for votes. "Despite the tall claims, none of the officers involved in the firing have been punished. Rather, they all are enjoying plum postings," said .
Junior union urban development Deepa Das Munshi said: "I am surprised that the government is not giving priority to a case as sensitive as this one," Deepa said.