KOLKATA: The CBI has set up four special investigation teams, each headed by an officer of joint director rank who are from other states, to probe into the complaints of murder, rape, and attempted rape that took place during the post-poll violence in West Bengal.
The central agency communicated with the director-general of police asking him to hand over case diaries of all FIRs registered across the state.
According to the state government’s declaration in the Calcutta High Court, which on Thursday ordered a CBI probe on the basis of a report submitted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the post-poll violence issue, 41 cases of post-poll violence were recorded in the state. The CBI will also investigate other cases, which were not registered but victims reported to the team members of the NHRC.
The four joint directors who will lead the CBI’s special teams are Anurag from Delhi, Ramnish Geer from Bhopal, Sampad Meena from Lucknow, and Vineet Vinayak from Chandigarh. The teams comprise 15 officers of superintendent of police and two additional SP ranks.
The CBI officers will record statements of victim families, make spot visits and prepare a preliminary report before sending it to its Delhi office. As part of the next step of the probe, the sleuths of the central agency will summon the accused to its Kolkata office and record their statement.
"We will go through the finding of the NHRC team and match it with the DGP’s report. We will register fresh cases if any complainant’s issue was not entertained by the state agencies," said a CBI officer.
The Calcutta High Court asked the CBI to submit its report within six months.
In its report last month, the NHRC’s team, which conducted an investigation following the high court order on the post-poll violence issue, had mentioned that the situation in West Bengal was a manifestation of the "Law of Ruler", instead of "Rule of Law". It also recommended CBI investigation in grievous cases which include murder, rape, and attempt to rape.
Sources in the state government said the state is considering moving Supreme Court challenging the high court’s order directing the CBI to conduct the probe.