CBI initiates probe into West Bengal post-poll violence

Four teams of the Central Bureau of Investigation have initiated probe into West Bengal post-poll violence. Initially, the central agency is to probe police negligence in attending to complaints of serious offences like murder, and rape.

Kolkata:The Central Bureau of Investigation teams have initiated their probe into the post-poll violence in West Bengal as directed by the Calcutta High Court. Sources said the central agency's primary goal is to establish which police officers at district, sub-division or police station levels had shown deliberate negligence in attending to complaints of serious offences like murder, rape or attempt to murder. Initially, the CBI will probe to track down influential leaders of the ruling party who prompted the police to stay away.

According to CBI sources, three districts in West Bengal had been the most affected by the post-poll violence. Members of the four investigating teams of CBI are visiting these three districts and talking to the victims or their family members.

"We will try to have a clear idea of the modus operandi of the post-poll violence through our interaction with the victims or their family members. On the basis of this, we will prepare an initial report. During the initial probe, our focus will be to know the areas where there had been deliberate negligence on part of the police authorities at different levels starting from the district, sub-division to police stations in controlling the post-poll voidance. At the same time, we will also try to track those who influence this alleged police inaction if any," a CBI officer said on strict condition of anonymity.

He also said that they will also examine whether the police applied the appropriate sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), even where they acted on the basis of complaints. According to sources, the initial work will also accumulate the right witnesses and record their statements as per law.

It should be noted that the National Human Right Commission (NHRC), in its earlier report made special mention of negligence on part of state police authorities in controlling this post-poll violence. Akhilesh Singh's inclusion as an investigation team member has grabbed attention. The deputy inspector general of CBI, Akhilesh Singh was previously working in the special branch of CBI and he handled cases like Narada video scam, Saradha chit fund scam, coal and cattle smuggling cases in the state.

Presently, the focus is to find witnesses. Already, a family member of one such victim has named an influential leader of the ruling party. Biswajit Sarkar, elder brother of Avijit Sarkar who was lynched in the post-poll violence, has provided some video clippings of the incidents related to his brother's death to the CBI sleuths. Avijit Sarkar was a resident of Beliaghata in Kolkata.

"An initial report will be prepared after talking to the witnesses, which we will forward to New Delhi. Already, we have sought the detailed documents of the findings of the state police DGP. We are yet to get that. However, we do not want to wait for that and hence started the probe already," the CBI officer said.

The supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress party and Bharatiya Janata Party clashed in various parts of the state since May 2. Many people were killed in the violence that followed after the Assembly election in the state.