Birbhum Violence: CBI Takes Over Investigation, Dispatches Team

The HC bench ordered that all documents as well as the accused and suspects arrested in the case so far be handed over to the central probe agency

Police force guard in front of the burned house of Sanju Sheikh at Bogtui village of Birbhum district (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the Rampurhat, Birbhum violence case in West Bengal and dispatched the team, including senior officer and CFSL experts, to investigate the case.

Earlier in the day, the Calcutta High Court directed the central probe agency to take over the investigation into the case from the SIT formed by the West Bengal government and submit its progress report before it on the next date of hearing.

"We direct the CBI to forthwith take over the investigation in the case and submit the progress report before us on the next date of hearing," a division bench headed by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava said in its order. The matter is scheduled to be heard on April 7 again.

The High Court, which registered a suo motu plea in the case on Wednesday, said that the facts and circumstances demand that the investigation be handed over to the CBI for the interest of justice and also in order to instil confidence in the society.

Directing the Bengal police or the government-appointed SIT not to hold any further probe into the matter, the HC bench ordered that all documents as well as the accused and suspects arrested in the case so far be handed over to the central probe agency.

However, the HC did not divulge details of the shortcomings in the SIT investigation.

Although the Opposition parties welcomed the high court decision for CBI investigation into the case, ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) questioned whether the agency that is under the Central government, can be trusted with an impartial investigation and claimed that the BJP has been using the CBI to corner the opposition parties.

It is to be noted that on March 21, some miscreants set 10 houses in Bogtui village in Birbhum district on fire, killing at least eight people, including women and children. The incident is thought to be a suspected fallout of the murder of a ruling Trinamool Congress leader and upa-pradhan' (deputy chief) of the local panchayat.