Lalan Sheikh's death: Calcutta HC expresses anguish over style of CID probe

Kolkata, Dec 23 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Friday expressed anguish over the style of probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal into the mysterious death of Lalan Sheikh, the prime accused in the March 21 Bogtui carnage.

The CID is probing the death of Lalan Sheikh, who was found hanging from a shower stand in a toilet of a temporary CBI office at Rampurhat in Birbhum district on December 12.

A single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta took exception of the fact that the CID is yet to record the statement of Lalan Sheikh's wife, Reshma Biwi, on the basis of whose FIR the CID took over the probe, considering that she had levelled serious allegations against the CBI in her FIR.

Reshma Biwi was present at the court when the hearing was going on and she faced a number of questions from Justice Sengupta, who expressed surprise over the contradictory answers given by her.

When Justice Sengupta asked her as to who provided her the mobile numbers of the CBI officers, which she mentioned in her FIR, Reshma Biwi said that the numbers were given to her by some central agency officials.

Reshma Biwi also denied knowledge as to who wrote the statement of the FIR for her.

"How is it possible that you don't know the person who wrote the statement? Did you get it written by any individual unknown to you," Justice Sengupta asked.

"I had totally broken down at that point of time and was crying profusely. So someone helped write the FIR," Reshma Biwi replied.

Justice Sengupta then asked why Reshma Biwi's statement was not recorded despite the fact that she had levelled serious allegations against the CBI.

He also said that there is a need to probe the source from whom she got the mobile numbers of the CBI officers named in the FIR. He also directed a DIG-level officer in the CID to take charge of the probe.

Justice Sengupta added that his earlier order barring the CID from taking any cohesive action against any CBI officer named in the FIR will continue.

The CBI has already described the FIR as politically motivated in view of the fact that the seven central agency officials named in it included the name of the investigating officer probing the cattle-smuggling scam, who had no connection with the separate CBI team probing the Bogtui carnage.

Lalan Sheikh was a known associate of local Trinamul Congress leader Bhadu Sheikh, whose murder on March 21 had triggered violence in Bogtui in Birbhum district that led to the death of 10 persons after several houses were set on fire.

Lalan Sheikh's family members have alleged that he was tortured to death in CBI custody.