Birbhum killings: First arrests made, CBI nabs four suspects from Mumbai

The CBI suspects that the accused — whose identities it has not yet revealed —had fled to Mumbai fearing arrest after the case was handed over to the central agency.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday made its first arrest in the Birbhum violence where ten people including five women and two children, were assaulted and then burnt to death last month. According to news agency PTI, the central probe agency has arrested four suspects from Mumbai in connection with the case.

A team of six officers probing the crime flew down to Mumbai and arrested four suspects early Thursday morning. Through transit remand, they will be produced before the Rampurhat court, where the CBI will seek their custody.

The CBI suspects that the accused — whose identities it has not yet revealed —had fled to Mumbai fearing arrest after the case was handed over to the central agency.

The bureau Thursday also submitted a 22-page status report on the investigation to the Calcutta High Court. The court had ordered the CBI to take up the case in a suo motu hearing by a Chief Justice bench on 25 March.

For the unreserved, in Bogtui village, some miscreants had on March 21 set 10 houses on fire, killing at least eight people including women and children. The Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the CBI to take over the investigation into the case from the state police and submit a progress report before it at the next date of hearing.

So far, the CBI has been interrogating the 21 accused held by state police; the latter are no longer involved in the investigation following the high court’s intervention. According to a report by news agency IANS, CBI has prepared a list in which 21 people, including Trinamool Congress’ block president Anarul Hossain, have been named as accused in the case.

The CBI suspects that two of the persons arrested earlier, who are currently under judicial custody, played key roles in the violence. Three of the other accused — Sona Sheikh, Palash, and Bhadu Sheikh’s brother — are currently absconding.