States »EasPosted at: Apr 16 2021 6:55PM

Calcutta High Court asks CID to file report on Sitalkuchi by May 5

Kolkata, Apr 16 (UNI) A two-judge bench of Calcutta High Court today asked the state-run Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to file a report before the court by May 5 informing it the progress of the probe in the Sitalkuchi case in which four people were killed by CISF firing during polling in Cooch Behar district on April 10.
CID took over the investigation on Friday.
“CID must submit a report before the court on the progress of the investigation into the incident by May 5,” the bench comprising chief Justice T B N Radhakrishna and and Justice Arijit Banerjee said , taking up to separate petitions filed two lawyers on Monday, seeking a probe by a sitting judge of the court into the incident.
The petitions filed by Ravishankar Chattopadhyay and Firdous Shamim described the firing as a heinous crime.
They demanded a thorough inquiry by a sitting high court judge, who would identify the responsible persons and restrain the Election Commission from providing them with duties in the remaining four phases of assembly polls in the state.
The duo demanded adequate compensation for the nearest kin of the four killed in the firing.
Trinamool Congress had written to the Election Commission, demanding action against the CISF personnel who opened fire at Sitalkuchi poll booth number 126.
TMC also claimed that all four people killed in the CISF firing were TMC supporters.
BJP on the other hand claimed that miscreants had attacked the forces first, which led to them opening fire to protect themselves.
The Election Commission has called for re-polling at booth number 126.
An FIR had been lodged against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a police station alleging that she instigated voters to gherao central forces and that, in turn, led to the incident of firing in Sitalkuchi and the subsequent death of four persons.
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