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The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim protection to Mamta Banerjee's election agent and Trinamool Congress leader SK Supian @ Sheikh Sufiyan accused of killing a Bhartiya Janta Party Supporter Debabrata Maiti at Chillogram in Nandigram after the results were declared. 

A division bench of Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice BR Gavai said that the court can hear the matter only after the statements are placed on record while granting him interim protection.

The plea has been filed challenging the Calcutta High Court order dismissing Sufian's anticipatory bail application in the post-poll violence case.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta objected to the interim protection stating that "he is a very powerful man and that the order of Calcutta HC is of November 2021 and he has managed to evade arrest till now." 

However, the bench allowed interim protection and summoned statements under Section 164 of CrPC while listing the matter for further hearing on January 31, 2022.

Sufian was questioned by CBI detectives in connection with post-poll violence in Nandigram shortly after the polls. Sufian applied for anticipatory bail in the Calcutta High Court to avoid arrest. A division bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharya and Justice Rabindranath Samanta had earlier directed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would not be able to arrest Sheikh Sufian till November 9.

That protection was uplifted today by a division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Vibhas Ranjan.

Sufian's name is also included in the complaint filed by Debabrata's family members with the Human Rights Commission.

Case Title: SK Supiyan @ Suffiyan @ Supisan Vs The Central Bureau Of Investigation