Bengal violence: Calcutta HC hands over probe into murder cases to CBI

Ground Report | New Delhi: Bengal violence; In a setback to the Mamata Banerjee government, the Calcutta High Court, which is hearing the post-poll violence in West Bengal, on Thursday handed over the investigation of serious cases like murder and kidnapping to the CBI and a three-member Special Investigation Force (SIT) to investigate less serious cases. has decided to form

The hearing of this case was completed on August 3. A larger five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal delivered the verdict in the matter today.

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Bengal violence

Earlier, on the directions of the High Court, a team of the National Human Rights Commission visited different parts of the state and submitted its report to the court on the violence. The state government had raised questions about the impartiality of that report. But the High Court has dismissed the allegation.

The court has also directed the state government to immediately give compensation to the victims of violence. Constituting a three-member SIT, the High Court has directed a probe under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge.

In a 50-page report submitted to the court, the NHRC said it was retaliatory violence against supporters of the main opposition party by supporters of the ruling party. As a result, the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people were disrupted and they were financially strangled. There have been many sex crimes, but the victims are afraid to speak up. The lack of trust in the state administration is very evident among the victims.

After the assembly elections in the state, there were reports of violence and arson in many areas. The BJP claimed dozens of its workers were killed and thousands rendered homeless, blaming the TMC for the violence.

Court criticized government

Several public interest litigations were also filed in the High Court on this issue. After hearing them, the Calcutta High Court in its decision of June 18, while directing the commission to investigate the causes of violence, had asked the government to cooperate in this.

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The state government had also filed a review petition against that decision of the court. But rejecting it, the court strongly criticized the government. The larger five-judge bench had said that at first, the state government was not accepting the allegations of violence. But the court has evidence of many such incidents.

On the directions of the court, the National Human Rights Commission had constituted a seven-member team under the chairmanship of commission member Rajiv Jain to investigate the alleged cases of violence. The team visited 311 places in the state over 20 days to interact with the people affected by the violence and submitted its report to the court on July 13.

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