After Calcutta High Court ordered CBI to investigate the cases of the alleged murder, rape and violence in West Bengal post elections, a team of 109 officers have landed in the state to investigate the case.
The investigation agency has divided the state into four zones and deputed four units. A joint director rank leads each unit to ensure an exhaustive probe into heinous crimes, officials said on Tuesday (August 24).
The central agency has dispatched an unprecedented force headed by four joint directors and comprising as many DIGs and 16 superintendents of police and investigators drawn from across the country who will be stationed in the four zones, said the officials.
They also said that the teams have started the groundwork in their areas as they have sought from the DGP of West Bengal the details of all rape and murder cases reported post-elections.
The Times of India reported the teams had met on Wednesday (August 25) at the Nizam Complex office and four joint directors who are leading the teams were present at the meeting. They decided to start looking at the five most affected districts.
CBI sources said Birbhum, West Burdwan, East Midnapore, and South and North 24 Parganas recorded the maximum cases.
They also said the documents submitted by the Bengal police were incomplete, and they asked the concerned officials to submit the rest of the papers.
"It is an investigation ordered by Calcutta High Court, which has ordered that all cases of murder and crime against women in post poll violence should be investigated by CBI. The agency will look into all the cases as per the report of the National Human Rights Commission," said a CBI official.
Following a report from the NHRC Committee on July 13, a five-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court ordered a CBI probe on the cases.
The bench passed a unanimous judgement on a batch of PILs seeking an independent probe into the incidents of violence after the polls, which the ruling TMC won by an overwhelming majority. The bench also ordered the constitution of an SIT of state police officers to probe all the other cases.
The bench will monitor the investigation of both the agencies and asked them to submit the status report within six weeks.
It said there are complainants who are being threatened to withdraw cases and the number of cases of murder being claimed as natural deaths without recording FIRs and conducting investigations.
Noting that the West Bengal Police did not respond properly and tried to downplay them, the bench said, "It certainly needs investigation by an independent agency."
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