The Calcutta High Court has asked the West Bengal Police’s Special Investigation Team to hand over the Birbhum violence case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The court has sought a report within a week.
Birbhum violence: Eight people in Bengal’s Birbhum were killed after their houses were set on fire on March 22. The incident occurred after a TMC leader was killed a day ago. The Calcutta High Court on 25 March Friday handed the case to the CBI for investigation.
Slamming the Bengal government’s SIT, the Calcutta High Court said: “The case diary of the incident has been produced before us. We have minutely examined it. We find that though the SIT was constituted on March 22, till now there has been no effective contribution by the SIT to 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 trapped inside the houses kept on burning.”
State SIT will not conduct probe any further, HC orders
In its order, the Calcutta High Court said: “We are of the opinion that the facts and the circumstances of the case demand that, in the interest of justice and to instil confidence in the society and to have a fair investigation to dig out the truth, it is necessary to hand over the investigation to the CBI.”
“Accordingly, we direct the state [Bengal] government to forthwith hand over the investigation of the case to CBI. We also direct the state authorities to extend full cooperation to the CBI in carrying out the further investigation. In view of this order, the state police authorities or the SIT formed by the state will not carry out any further investigation in the matter from the time the same is handed over to the CBI,” the court said.
It further said: “The CBI will not only be handed over the case papers but also the accused and suspects who were arrested in the matter and are in custody. Hence, we direct the CBI to forthwith take over the investigation in the case and submit the progress report before us on the next date of hearing.”
HC seeks status report within a week, next hearing on April 7
The HC has directed CBI to submit the status report in the Birbhum violence case in a week. The next hearing will be conducted on April 7.
Circumstantial evidence, impact indicate state police can’t continue probe: HC
The court says that circumstantial evidence and the impact of the incident indicate state police cannot probe the case
Calcutta HC orders Bengal police to hand over Birbhum violence case to CBI
The Calcutta High Court has asked the West Bengal Police’s Special Investigation Team to hand over the Birbhum violence case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The court has sought a report within a week.
