Bandhu’s mother Maya in Barala, Murshidabad. (Express Photo: Partha Paul/File)A day after the police claimed to have cracked the triple murder case in Jiaganj, Murshidabad, by arresting a 20-year-old mason, the relatives of the victims on Wednesday demanded a CBI probe. They also said they would try to meet Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on October 19, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and President Ram Nath Kovind to press for their demand.
Bandhu Prakash Pal (40), his pregnant wife Beauty Pal (30) and their son Angan (5) were found murdered at their home in Lebu Bagan area of Jiaganj on the afternoon of October 8.
Meanwhile, police arrested a friend and business partner of Pal, Souvik Banik, on Tuesday night for allegedly duping several people in the name of money marketing schemes.
On Tuesday, Murshidabad district police arrested mason Utpal Behera for the killings.
Police claimed that Behera, a native of the same village where the Pals lived, has confessed to the crime.
“We want a CBI probe. We are not satisfied with the way the police are handling the case. We don’t believe that a young guy, who is not a professional killer, can hack three people to death, change his dress and then clean up in just five minutes,” said Bandhu Krishna Ghosh, Pal’s maternal cousin.
“The murders seem to be the handiwork of a professional… it seems improbable that a person would go to such extreme for such a small amount of money,” said Ghosh.
He also said the family suspected the involvement of more than one person in the murders.
“Even if Behera is involved, he must have had an accomplice,” said Ghosh. “Arrangements are being made for the Delhi trip to meet the President and the Union Home Ministry officials,” said Ghosh.
On Tuesday, a complaint against accused Banik was lodged by Pal’s cousin Ghosh at Sagardighi police station on Tuesday for duping people.
“Souvik Banik was arrested last night. While investigating the murder case, we had interrogated Banik and looked into his background. Several people alleged that Banik duped them of lakhs through false investment proposals and money marketing schemes,” said a senior police officer of Murshidabad district.
“Banik not only duped my cousin, but many other people through false investment plans,” said Ghosh.
Recently, Banik was detained by investigating officers and had been interrogated. Following his detention, raids in search of suspects were also conducted in different parts of Birbhum districts surrounding Rampurhat.
Banik is a resident of Rampurhat town in Birbhum. However, police found that he did not stay at his Rampurhat house in the last six months. According to police sources, Banik and Pal were friends as well as partners in various marketing chains.
After borrowing money from the market at a high rate of interest, Pal had given Rs 7 lakh to Banik.