The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday arrested nine Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters from Jhargram district of West Bengal in connection with a murder during violence after the assembly elections in the state last year.
The agency had registered a case in the alleged murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Tarak Sahu in September last year. Following the killing in Pindrakuli, the Jhargam district police had registered a case against 14 people, according to a CBI statement issued on Friday. The investigation was taken over by the CBI following orders from the Calcutta high court on August 19.
Following widespread allegations of post-poll violence in the state after the TMC won the assembly elections in a decisive victory, the Calcutta high court had also asked a special investigation team (SIT) of the state police to probe the incidents of alleged arson and vandalism.
TMC Rajya Sabha member Shantanu Sen alleged that Friday’s arrests were a proof of the CBI’s bias because Sahu, the alleged victim, was also an accused in the murder of a local TMC worker.
“It has been proved that TMC workers cannot expect justice from the CBI. The agency has not touched any BJP worker involved in violence,” said Sen.
{{/usCountry}}“It has been proved that TMC workers cannot expect justice from the CBI. The agency has not touched any BJP worker involved in violence,” said Sen.
{{/usCountry}}Refuting the charge, Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said, “The BJP has no role to play in this investigation. The CBI is following the orders of the high court which received specific complaints.”
Meanwhile, the central investigating agency also announced a reward for the arrest of two women named in a similar murder allegation in North 24 Parganas district, officials said.
According to a CBI official, the two women are wanted in connection with the alleged murder of 85-year-old Shova Majumdar, a resident of Nimta in North 24 Parganas district. Though Majumdar died at home on March 29 last year, while the five-phase polling was on, the BJP alleged that she was assaulted by ruling party workers on February 27.
Law minister summoned in coal smuggling case
In another development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned West Bengal law minister Moloy Ghatak to Delhi for questioning in the coal smuggling case, according to officials familiar with developments.
According to the agencies, illegally mined coal worth several thousand crores of rupees have been sold in the black market over several years by a racket operating in the western parts of Bengal where the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) runs a number of mines. The BJP has alleged that proceeds from the sales went to the TMC’s election funds.
Four Bengal businessmen were arrested by the CBI in September in the coal smuggling case. The suspects, Joydeb Mondal, Narayan Nanda, Nirad Mondal and Gurupada Majhi were held from West Burdwan and Bankura districts. The ED earlier arrested three people, including a state police inspector.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had alleged in the middle of an administrative meeting on Thursday that central probe agencies have become proactive because polls to civic bodies are due in the state in February.
She expressed her anger at the CBI for summoning TMC’s Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal, a leader known to be close to her, in connection with post-poll violence. The actions were being taken to help the BJP, Banerjee alleged.
Citing illness, Mondal moved the Calcutta high court which granted him relief from arrest on Thursday. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha ordered that though no action can be taken against Mondal without the court’s consent he must appear before the CBI for questioning.