Banerjee, who was 35 then, had to be treated at a hospital for a few weeks. Banerjee, who was 35 then, had to be treated at a hospital for a few weeks.

A Kolkata court in Alipore Thursday acquitted the key accused in an attempt to murder case on Mamata Banerjee, the then president of Youth Congress in Bengal, 29 years ago as there was no evidence and now witnesses could not appear before the court.

The incident took place on August 16 in 1990 at Hazra crossing near Banerjee’s Kalighat residence. Prime accused Lalu Alam had allegedly hit Banerjee on the head with a stick, the impact of which had fractured her skull. Banerjee, who was 35 then, had to be treated at a hospital for a few weeks.

Counsel appearing on behalf of the government Radhakanta Mukherjee said, “Of those who were named in the chargesheet, a few have died while few others went absconding. There is nothing left in the case. The government decided that it would only waste its time and money by pursuing this case.”

Speaking to reporters, Mukherjee also said the Bengal CM was ready to depose as a witness via video conferencing, however, it could not be arranged. The lawyer also alleged that the case was blocked for 21 years by the erstwhile Left Front government.

In 1994, Banerjee had appeared before the Alipore court as a witness in the case.

A former DYFI leader (youth wing of CPM), Alam, 62, lives in the Park Circus area in Kolkata and runs a small business. “I am feeling relieved today. I don’t have words to express my delight. If the government had taken this decision in 2011 (when Mamata Banerjee became the chief minister of the state), I would have been able to focus on my work more,” he told reporters.

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