Kolkata, May 1 (). A single judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the state police to initiate a probe into the alleged suicide of Lalan Shaikh, the main accused in the Bogatui massacre. Nine people had died in the massacre in March last year. Last year itself, on December 12, Lalan Sheikh had died under mysterious circumstances at the CBI camp office at Rampurhat in Birbhum district.
A single-judge bench of Justice Jai Sengupta, while allowing the state police to conduct probe against the seven accused CBI officers in the case, imposed restrictions on certain procedures of investigation.
Justice Sengupta asked the state police to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter, which will be headed by Inspector General (IG) rank IPS officer of West Bengal cadre Pranab Kumar. Justice Sengupta gave Kumar the liberty to select other members of the SIT.
As per the direction of the court, the process of formation of SIT has to be completed within a week. The SIT will not be able to submit the final report of the investigation without the permission of the Calcutta High Court. The SIT is not to submit its report to the State Government, except to the trial court where the case is heard.
The single-judge bench also said that the shield against any coercive action, including arrest, against the seven accused CBI officers would remain in place.
The bench also directed the CBI to extend full cooperation to the members of the SIT. The court will supervise the entire investigation process.
Lalan Sheikh was arrested by the CBI in December last year after eight months of manhunt since the Bogtui massacre in Birbhum district in March 2022.
The Bogatui murder is believed to be a revenge for the murder of local Trinamool Congress leader Vadu Shaikh. Lalan Sheikh was the right-hand man of Wadu Sheikh and soon after killing Wadu he gathered his associates and attacked Bogtui village late in the night with bombs and inflammable objects.
SGK/ANM
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