Calcutta High Court Transfers Probe Into Birbhum Violence To CBI

In a big setback for CM Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, the Calcutta High Court has transferred the probe into the violence in the Birbhum district to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Eight people, including two children, were charred to death as nearly a dozen huts were set ablaze in Bogtui village early Tuesday (22 March) in a suspected fallout of the murder of a ruling Trinamool Congress leader and 'upa-pradhan' (deputy chief) of the local panchayat.

The order was passed by a Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj in a suo motu case taken up to consider the issue, reports Bar and Bench.

Besides the suo motu case, certain public interest litigation (PILs) had also been filed before the Court seeking a CBI probe into the incident.

The state had opposed the prayer for CBI or NIA probe, submitting that an enquiry is being conducted by a Special Investigation Team formed by the West Bengal government and prayed that the SIT be given time to proceed with it.

The petitioners, seeking an enquiry by an agency other than those controlled by the state government, alleged that there is a possibility of tampering with evidence if a probe by CBI or NIA is not ordered immediately.

(With inputs from PTI)