Kolkata, Jun 27 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday directed the CID to arrest all 51 suspects named in the FIR in the murder of a BJP worker, stating the state now upholds the rule of law unlike under the previous Mamata Banerjee government, which “shielded criminals on vote-bank and religious considerations”.
Adhikari asked the CID to ensure filing of charge-sheet in the case while the accused remained in custody, ensure a speedy custodial trial and award punishments as per provisions of the law.
The CM also announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for Prashanta Dey’s family, over and above the Rs 4 lakh already provided by the district administration, and a contractual government job to the sister of the deceased.
After paying floral tributes to Dey at his residence in Howrah’s Bagnan and meeting his bereaved family, Adhikari held a high-level review meeting at the local police station with senior police and civil administration officials, including the IG, DIG, SP and the district magistrate.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, the chief minister said 10 of the 51 people named in the FIR had been arrested so far and directed the CID to trace the remaining accused.
“I have directed the CID, in no ambiguous terms, to find the remaining 41 accused, even if they are hiding in the depths of hell. The chargesheet must be filed while the suspects are in custody, and a custody trial must be initiated. Once convicted, they must be punished as per provisions of the BNS,” he said.
Adhikari said a 10-member special investigation team (SIT) of the CID is conducting the probe, and that he would appoint a Special Public Prosecutor to ensure the maximum punishment under the BNS.
“Criminals have gained courage to act with impunity since they were never appropriately punished. Unlike the law of rulers that prevailed in the state before, we have established the rule of law. The murderers will be swiftly brought to justice with exemplary punishment so that such crimes are not repeated in future,” Adhikari asserted.
Dey (39), the vice-president of BJP’s Booth 197 under Bagnan Mandal-5, was allegedly beaten to death by local TMC miscreants on June 17 following post-poll clashes between the two camps. His family alleged that he was attacked while on his way to attend a social function.
The victim sustained severe head trauma and was declared dead on arrival at the Bagnan Rural Hospital, while three other BJP workers suffered critical injuries.
Family members of the deceased claimed that the prime accused in the case, local Trinamool Congress leader Mafizul Rahman, was among those who remained at large.
“I have also asked the DM to prepare a fact-finding report of the illegal activities these miscreants were involved in, including forceful land grabs and unauthorised property constructions from ill-gotten money. I have been assured that lawful action will be taken against them on those counts as well,” Adhikari said.
“These criminals have for a long time escaped the law because of vote bank politics and religious considerations,” he alleged.
Adhikari said the murder reflected a pattern of criminal activities in the region and the perpetrators going unpunished, and referred to the 2021 post-poll violence and the alleged rape of a speech-impaired woman in Bagnan, a case now being probed by the CBI. PTI BSM MNB SMY RBT
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