Birbhum Violence: Murder Case Against CBI Officials Over Custodial Death Of Prime Accused

The West Bengal Police has registered a murder case against CBI officials over the custodial death of the prime accused in the Birbhum violence case.

Ten people, including two children, were charred to death after nearly a dozen huts were set ablaze in Bogtui, Birbhum, in March this year.

Source : PTI

The West Bengal Police on Wednesday registered an FIR against CBI officials after the wife of the Birbhum violence case prime accused Lalan Sheikh submitted a complaint against them. The officials have been slapped with murder charge.

 Lalan Sheikh was found hanging in the washroom of the CBI camp office in Rampurhat on December 12. Sources in the CBI said it was a case of suicide 

Sheikh, was arrested on December 4 from his hideout along the Bengal-Jharkhand border. News agency PTI quoted a CBI source as saying: "The body of the prime accused in the Bogtui violence was found hanging in the washroom of the guest house, where we have set up our temporary camp, at around 4:30 pm. We have informed the police and all necessary procedures are being followed." 

Before the FIR was registered, the CBI informed the National Human Rights Commission and the local judiciary about Lalan Sheikh's death as per existing procedures. The FIR was registered under sections 448,323, 325, 302, 385,386, 509,427, 120(B).  

Several officials — Vilas Mhadgut, Bhaskar Mondal, Rahul, S Bhattacharya, Swarup Dey, SP CBI, DIG CBI and others — have been named in the FIR. 

Birbhum SP Nagendra Nath Tripathi said on Monday that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the death of Lalan Sheikh. "A case of unnatural death will be registered and the matter will be investigated to ascertain the cause of death," Tripathi said. 

Ten people, including two children, were charred to death after nearly a dozen huts were set ablaze in Bogtui, Birbhum, in March this year. The arson was suspected to be have been in retaliation to the murder of a Trinamool Congress panchayat official named Bhadu Sheikh. The CBI is probing the case on the orders of the Calcutta High Court.