Kolkata, Aug. 18 -- Calcutta High Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation alleging that the West Bengal police were verbally directing mosque authorities to remove loudspeakers used for azan (call for prayers).

The division bench of acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Atarup Banerjee heard advocate Md Danish Farooqui's petition alleging that police officers held meetings with mosque representatives in recent weeks and directed them to remove all loudspeakers although Supreme Court guidelines exist on decibel limits for loudspeakers used in public places.

"The state's lawyers told the court that the allegation was baseless because the police neither held any meeting with mosque representatives nor gave ...