Calcutta High Court orders CBI probe in post-poll violence in Bengal

KOLKATA: In a major blow to the West Bengal government, a five-member bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday handed over the investigation of serious crimes like rape and murder in the post-poll violence to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and formed a three-member team to investigate the lesser criminal offences. The court also directed the state government to immediately process the compensation for the victims of the post-poll violence.

Accepting the National Human Rights Commission's recommendation, the five-member bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice I.P. Mukerji, Justice Harish Tandon, Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Subrata Talukdar directed that the investigation into the violence following the April-May election in Bengal will be conducted by a special team to be set up by the CBI.

The CBI will be investigating into the serious crimes like rape and murder. A separate division bench has been formed to monitor the CBI investigation.

Similarly, the division bench also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate lesser crimes that happened after the elections.

Senior officers like Kolkata Police Commissioner Soumen Mitra, Suman Bala Sahoo and Ranveer Kumar will be a part of the SIT. The investigation by the SIT will be monitored by a retired judge of the Supreme Court. Both the CBI and SIT will have to give their initial reports to the court after six weeks.

The Court has directed the State of West Bengal to immediately process the compensation for the victims of the post-poll violence. The court also rejected the allegations of bias raised by the state government against the National Human Rights Commission, a team of which had submitted a fact-finding report to the court as per its directions.

The violence after the election had attracted the attention of the nation as BJP had accused the Trinamool of unleashing its thugs to kill party workers, attack women members, vandalise houses, and loot shops and offices belonging to its leaders. (IANS)

Also Read: Post-poll violence: NHRC criticises West Bengal government

Also Watch: