Birbhum killings | Calcutta HC asks Delhi CFSL to collect samples from site of incident, orders Govt to file report
The Hindu
Kolkata The Calcutta High Court on March 23 directed CFSL Delhi to immediately collect necessary mat
The Calcutta High Court on March 23 directed CFSL Delhi to immediately collect necessary materials for forensic examination at Bogtui village in Bengal’s Birbhum district, where at least eight people were charred to death in the suspected fallout of a TMC panchayat official’s murder.
The court asked the State Government to file a report in the case before it by 2 p.m. on March 24, when the matter will be taken up for hearing again.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava, taking up a suo motu petition and a set of PILs, ordered that CCTVs be installed at the crime scene in the presence of District Judge, Purba Bardhaman, and recordings be done until further orders.
The Bench, also comprising Justice R. Bharadwaj, directed a team of Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi to visit the place of incident and collect samples for examination without any delay.
It asked the DGP to ensure safety of witnesses, including that of a minor boy injured in the arson, in consultation with the District Judge, Purba Bardhaman.
The court observed that suo motu petition has been registered for fair investigation in the case. The petitioners in the PILs have prayed for a probe by the CBI or by any other agency which is not controlled by the State.
Advocate-General representing the Government opposed the prayer, stating an SIT was probing the matter and that there was no need to transfer the case to any other agency.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.