Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers with CFSL team investigate near the house where eight people were burnt alive, at Bogtui village in Birbhum district of West Bengal, Saturday (PTI) The CBI on Sunday recorded the statements of eyewitnesses in connection with the Bogtui killings in Birbhum district in which eight people were charred to death after their houses were set on fire in an alleged retaliation to the murder of a deputy pradhan owing allegiance to the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress.
The central agency, which has set up a temporary camp office in a government guest house in the nearby Rampurhat town, also questioned four of the arrested suspects, including TMC’s block president Anarul Hussain.
A three-member team led by CBI deputy inspector general (DIG) Akhilesh Singh visited the Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital to record the statements of three of the four injured persons — a minor and three women.
“Currently, four persons are admitted to the hospital. One of them having more than 65 percent burn injuries couldn’t record statement. The CBI officials spoke to three of them and took their statements on the incident,” said a senior hospital official.
Also, four of the arrested accused, including Anarul Hussain (61), were taken from the Rampurhat police station to the CBI camp office for questioning. A total of 22 people, including Anarul Hussain, have been arrested in connection with two FIRs.
Hussain, who pleaded innocent in the court which turned down his bail petition, has claimed before the media that he was being framed as part of a conspiracy .
The CBI has also sought CCTV footage of the night when the incident took place in that area. The footage is likely to be handed over by the police. The eyewitnesses will be asked to identify those in the footage, it is learnt.
Central forces have been deployed to provide security to the CBI officials investigating the Bogtui incident.
A division bench of Calcutta High Court handed over the probe to the CBI on Friday and directed the central agency to file a progress report by April 7.
On the court’s directive, the agency registered a case on the basis of the initial complaint received by police and initiated the probe.
Unidentified people had on March 21 set at least 10 houses on fire in the village.
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