On Friday, the High Court ordered the completion of the murder trial of former CPI(M) MLA Pradip Tah within the next year.
Chief justice Arun Mishra and justice Joymalya Bagchi also directed the Burdwan judicial magistrate to record statements by Tah’s wife and daughter immediately, and order any necessary further investigation.
The judges also directed the superintendent of police, Burdwan, to provide security to Tah’s family members and other witnesses. The directive came on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by three advocates, seeking a CBI probe into Tah’s murder on the basis of allegations of a cover up by the Criminal Investigation Department to protect Trinamool leaders.
Moving the petition, advocate Subrata Mukhopadhyay told the court that Tah’s mother and daughter wanted to make a full statement but the CID officials met them only for two minutes and did not record their statement.
“Tah’s family members also could not appear before the magistrate to make their statements because the accused, out on bail, was seen moving about freely in the locality and was threatening them,” Mukhopadhyay said.