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Bengal CID quizzes accused who was in CBI custody when Lalan Sheikh was found dead
Lalan Sheikh, a prime accused in the Bogtui massacre case, was found dead in the CBI’s custody earlier this week
The West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Thursday questioned an accused in the Bogtui massacre case, Jahangir Sheikh, who was present in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) custody when a prime accused in the case Lalan Sheikh was found dead in the federal agency’s custody earlier this week, a senior police official said.
Jahangir Sheikh, the brother of slain TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh, was arrested by the CBI on December 7. The agency had arrested Lalan Sheikh, a close aide of Bhadu Sheikh, on December 4.
Ten people, including nine women, were burnt alive at Birbhum district’s Bogtui village on March 21 in a retaliatory killing following the murder of Bhadu Sheikh.
The CBI is probing the both cases – the murder of Sheikh and the retaliatory massacre following a Calcutta high court order.
“Both Jahangir and Lalan were in CBI custody on December 12. Lalan was found dead in the washroom around 5pm. They were supposed to be produced before the Rampurhat court on December 13,” said a senior police official who did not wish to be named.
Jahangir was produced before the court on Tuesday and sent to judicial custody. He is presently lodged in the Rampurhat jail. CID officials moved the Rampurhat court on Thursday seeking permission to question Jahangir.
“A CID team reached the Rampurhat jail in the afternoon to question Jahangir where he is lodged,” said the senior police official.
CID sleuths would be also visiting the Rampurhat guest house where the CBI’s camp office was located. Lalan Sheikh was found dead in the guest house.
While the federal agency claimed that Sheikh died by suicide, the victim’s family alleged that he was beaten to death in the custody. Police initiated a murder case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and named seven officials of the CBI including the agency’s deputy inspector general (DIG) and superintendent (SP). Later, CID took over the investigation.
The CBI moved the Calcutta high court on Wednesday and the court directed the CID not to take any coercive steps against the CBI officials but allowed the CID to continue the investigation.
