NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) denied the report that it has found no evidence in 21 cases of alleged rape and attempt to rape, which were received for investigation by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The CBI issued an official statement on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, after a section of media carried the report and TMC Rajya Sabha MP leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray tweeted that the CBI found no evidence in 21 cases of sexual harassment and rape in post-poll violence, alleged by the National Human Rights Commission in a report filed before Calcutta High Court.
“As such, the reports, published in a section of media alleging that CBI has found no evidence in 21 cases listed as offence of Sexual Assault by NHRC, contain misrepresentation of facts, are blatantly mischievous, grossly misleading and entirely false. Accordingly, the same are strongly denied”, spokesperson of CBI stated in writing to the media.
The agency also detailed that the Calcutta High Court had ordered CBI on August 19 in 2021 to investigate the incidents involving offences of murder, rape and attempt to rape and the cases were registered by CBI meeting only these criteria. Mentioning a clarification, the CBI said it received 29 numbers of complaints of sexual assault from NHRC related to sexual offences till December 22 in 2021.
“Out of these, 2 cases have been decided by CBI for handing over to State SIT on the grounds of nature of offences, in line with the mandate given in the orders of the Calcutta High Court. Further, two complaints relating to same incident of sexual assault were received by CBI, which were amalgamated, resulting in registration of only one regular case for investigation”, the agency stated, adding that the remaining cases were under progress.
The CBI also detailed that the State Police had referred 64 incidents to CBI in furtherance of High Court order. “Out of it, 39 offences were taken over by CBI by registering regular cases, 04 references are under process while 21 number of references were returned to State Police and SIT on the ground of nature of offence, as CBI has been mandated in the order of the Calcutta High Court, dated August 19 in 2021 to investigate post-poll violence cases of murder, rape and attempt to rape”, the agency stated through statement.
The CBI also has stated in the statement that at the time of submission of Status Report, it has registered 50 of regular cases and one preliminary enquiry into the incidents of Post -Poll violence. “By the time of submission of Status Report, CBI has submitted chargesheets in 10 cases while remaining cases are under progress”, the CBI has clarified.