Birbhum deaths | CBI takes over probe after Calcutta High Court order

No progress in investigation by State, says court

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday took over the probe into the killings at Bogtui village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, hours after a Calcutta High Court directive. “A team comprising senior CBI officials and forensic experts has been dispatched to examine the scene of crime,” said an agency official.

On March 21, eight people were burnt to death in the village after a Trinamool Congress deputy pradhan was murdered.

The High Court directed the CBI to submit a report on its findings by April 7.

“We are of the opinion that facts and circumstances of the case demand that in the interest of justice and to instil confidence in society and to have fair investigation to dig out the truth, it is necessary to hand over the investigation to the CBI. We direct the State government to forthwith hand over the investigation to the CBI. We also direct the State authorities to extend full cooperation to the CBI in carrying out the investigation,” the order said.

“In view of this order, the State police authorities or Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the State will not carry out any further investigation in the matter,” it added.

The Division Bench observed that the SIT was constituted on March 22, “but till now there is no effective contribution of the SIT in the investigation. It has been submitted that in spite of the fact that the police station is very near to the spot of incident, the police did not reach on time and persons remained trapped inside the burning houses”.

While the BJP, the Left and the Congress have welcomed the order, ruling Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that “if at the instance of the BJP, there is an effort to indulge in politics of vendetta... then there will be protest and mass agitation”.