HC pulls up state over murder probe

Kolkata: Calcutta high court on Wednesday criticized the state over its probe into the murder of a Trinamool worker, Rahul Ray, in March.

While hearing the petition filed by the victim's brother Ganga Ray, Justice Dipankar Datta asked state counsel Shuvobroto Dutta why the probe should not be handed over to the CBI since the investigation report filed by the state is riddled with inconsistency. Justice Dutta gave the state a seven-day deadline ending on June 29 to file an affidavit in court, stating all facts in the case.

On March 13 this year, Rahul's body was recovered from the Gurudas Halt station near Park Circus with both his legs cut off. The victim's brother, Ganga, filed a writ petition, seeking a CID investigation into Rahul's murder.

At the first hearing on Ganga's petition, an angry Justice Datta asked the state counsel, "Why should I not hand over the case to the CBI as the state government has failed to explain details of the case?" The court further said that the police, in its report, declared that Rahul had died in a train accident. But the report is not backed by any supporting documents to back the accident claim. "Where is the statement from the railways stating that it was an accident? Where is the doctor's report?" Datta asked.

Further, the court told the state counsel that the autopsy report on Rahul's body states that there were marks in the victim's shoes indicating that he was dragged. "What does this mean?" the judge asked.

Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Wednesday castigated the state over its probe into the murder of Trinamool worker Rahul Ray in March this year. Hearing the petition filed by the victim's brother Ganga Ray, Justice Dipankar Datta of the High Court asked state counsel Shuvobroto Dutta why the probe should not be handed over to the CBI. Justice Dutta then gave the state a seven day deadline to file an affidavit in court stating all facts in the case. On March 13 this year, Rahul's body was recovered from the Gurudas Halt station near Park Circus with both his legs cut off. The victim's brother Ganga Ray filed a writ petition seeking a CID investigation into Rahul's murder.

At the first hearing on Ganga's petition on Wednesday, Justice Datta pulled up the state for inconsistencies in the investigation into Rahul's murder. An angry judge then asked the state counsel, "Why should I not hand over the case to the CBI as the state government has failed to explain details of the case?" The court further said that the police, in its report, declared that Rahul had died in a train accident in which he lost both his legs. But the report is not backed by any supporting documents to back the accident claim. "Where is the statement from the railways stating that it was an accident? Where is the doctor's report?" Justice Datta asked.

Further, the court told the state counsel that the autopsy report on Rahul's body states that there were marks in the victim's shoes indicating that he was dragged. "What does this mean?" the court asked. The court then directed the state to file an affidavit on the case by June 29 when the next hearing in the case would be held.