Calcutta HC directs court-monitored probe in four rape cases, reserves order in Nadia case

Chief Justice asks whether any introspection was done by the State

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed a court-monitored investigation in four rape cases brought before it in the past one month. Special Commissioner of the Kolkata Police Damyanti Sen will head the probe. A Division Bench of Justices Prakash Shrivastava and Rajarshi Bharadwaj directed the investigation in the cases of rape at Deganga, Matia, Englishbazar and Bansdoni, which were brought before the court in form of public interest litigations.

 During the hearing, the Bench expressed anguish over the cases and the Chief Justice asked whether any introspection was done by the State. Advocate General S. N. Mookherjee said that it was incumbent for everyone to introspect and pointed out that the State and the city had been accorded status of safest places.  

The matter will come up again for hearing on April 20.

In the case involving the rape and death of a 14-year-old student at Hanskhali , the court reserved its order. The incident occurred on April 4 and the girl died the following day. The matter came to light on April 10 when the police arrested son of a local Trinamool Congress leader in connection with the crime.  On Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s comments raising questions on the veracity of the allegation and the victim created a flutter in political circles.

“Criminal Investigation in shameful rape #Hanskhali leading to victim death is tainted & compromised when people in authority & constitutional position indicate judgmental stance. This against the law approach scuttles fair & independent probe as police is forced to toe such line,” Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Twitter in an oblique reference to the Chief Minister’s remarks.

 On Tuesday, police arrested a second accused in connection with the crime. Prabhakar Poddar was arrested on the basis of interrogation of prime accused Brojogopal Gayali by the police.

 Ananya Chakraborti Chatterjee, chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights visited Hanskhali and stated, “We are happy with the role of police”.  The chairperson added that the big issue in the case was that the body had been cremated and even clothes burned.  TMC MP from Krishnanagar Mahua Moitra also came  in support of the police and said that two persons have been arrested for the criminal act.