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CBI makes first arrest in Bengal Congress councillor’s murder; eatery owner held
Four people, including Khan, Singh, Tapan Kandu’s elder brother Naren, and the latter’s son, Dipak, were arrested by the Jhalda police. Dipak Kandu, who unsuccessfully contested the Jhalda civic body polls on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket against his uncle, was the first person to be arrested on March 15.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday made its first arrest in the March 13 murder of Congress councillor Tapan Kandu at Jhalda in Purulia district and took into custody Satyaban Pramanik, a dhaba owner, officials said.
A Purulia court ordered a four-day CBI remand for Pramanik, who, according to CBI officials, is suspected to have taken part in the conspiracy to murder Kandu.
CBI officials said they were following leads that suggested that Pramanik had some business dealings with Tapan Kandu in the past. He was interrogated in front of two other suspects in custody, local trader Asif Khan and alleged criminal Kalebar Singh who was nabbed last month from Dumka in Jharkhand by the local police.
Four people, including Khan, Singh, Tapan Kandu’s elder brother Naren, and the latter’s son, Dipak, were arrested by the Jhalda police. Dipak Kandu, who unsuccessfully contested the Jhalda civic body polls on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket against his uncle, was the first person to be arrested on March 15.
In the Jhalda municipality elections that took place on February 27, the Congress and TMC won five seats each while two seats were wrested by Independent candidates. One Independent candidate later joined the TMC. The TMC formed the board on April 5 amid protests by Congress workers.
The CBI probe into Kandu’s murder was ordered by the Calcutta high court single judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha on April 4 that heard the petition of the victim’s widow, Purnima Kandu, who is also an elected Congress councillor.
On Tuesday, Justice Mantha ordered the CBI to also investigate the suspected suicide committed by one of the key witnesses to the murder, Niranjan Baishnab.
On March 13, Kandu was shot from close range on a road in front of several eyewitnesses, including his friend Niranjan Baishnab.
Baishnab was found hanging in his home on April 6; two days after the court ordered the CBI probe. A hand-written note found in his room said he could not take the pressure of being repeatedly summoned and questioned by the Jhalda police. His family filed a complaint against the police.
Purnima Kandu alleged in her petition that TMC leaders and the police were involved in the murder of her husband.
The CBI probe is being conducted by deputy inspector general of police Akhilesh Singh.
On April 8, Singh questioned five Jhalda police personnel -- a woman sub-inspector, two constables and two home guards -- who were confined to their barracks on March 20 following charges of dereliction of duty during the murder. CBI officials took them to the scene of the crime.
Purnima Kandu alleged that the police personnel, who were manning a security check point on the road, did not respond to the family’s request to rush to the crime scene which was within walking distance.
While ordering the CBI probe into Kandu’s murder, Justice Mantha made strong observations against the Purulia police which claimed on April 3 that a sum of ₹7 lakh was given to the killers by Naren Kandu.
Purulia district superintendent of police S Selvamurugan claimed that the murder was the fallout of an old family dispute and had nothing to do with politics.
The CBI took into its custody the four suspects arrested by the local police.
The CBI team also recorded the statements of Purnima Kandu, the victim’s nephew Mithun Kandu and three eyewitnesses to the murder.
Purnima Kandu had alleged that the inspector-in-charge of Jhalda police station, Sanjib Ghosh, had been putting pressure on her husband to join the TMC since the verdict to the civic polls had led to a hung board at Jhalda municipality.
On April 3, Selvamurugan said, “No involvement of the IC of Jhalda was found during investigation.” He also claimed that an audio clip, purportedly containing a telephonic conversation between Sanjib Ghosh and Mithun Kandu, would be examined later.
The audio clip was submitted before the court as evidence. Justice Mantha said on April 4 that both mobile phones should have been seized and examined. He also observed that the murder was linked to politics and raised questions on why the allegations against Sanjib Ghosh were not probed.
CBI officials have questioned Ghosh and Jhalda sub-divisional police officer Subrata Deb.
