Big setback for Mamata Banerjee govt, CBI to probe Birbum violence
The CBI will submit the investigative progress report before the next hearing date, which is set for April 7.
FollowThe Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the CBI to conduct a probe. The SIT would turn over all case documents, accused, and suspects to the CBI. The CBI will submit the investigative progress report before the next hearing date, which is set for April 7. The court asked the SIT, constituted by the West Bengal government, to hand over case papers and arrested people to the central agency.
The news came a day after the autopsy report of the deceased indicated that the eight people who were burned alive in Bogtui village in West Bengal's Birbhum district, including three women and two children, were thrashed by the perpetrators of the heinous act before being slain.
Reacting to the HC order, Dilip Ghosh, a BJP MP, said: "Everyone sought a CBI investigation. Everyone is aware that Mamata Banerjee formed the SIT to conceal the matter. Innocent people are slaughtered there, yet she refuses to admit her government's failure."
Earlier, the Calcutta High Court ordered the state to install CCTV cameras in the presence of the district judge, as well as round-the-clock CCTV surveillance of the incident site. It also ordered a forensic team from Delhi to gather evidence from the scene immediately for analysis and instructed the state to safeguard witnesses.
Six women and two children were confined in their homes and burned alive by a mob on Tuesday in the village of Bogtui, near Rampurhat town, in vengeance for the death of a local Trinamool Congress politician, Bhadu Sheikh, in a crude bomb assault. A day later, charred remains were discovered, the majority of which belonged to the same family.
The Birbhum incident, which has caused a huge political uproar in the state, has made national headlines, with The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which frequently targets the Bengal government on the law and order situation, calling for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's resignation and demanding an investigation into the incident by Central agencies.
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