Parui murder case: HC stays single bench order for CBI probe

A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday stayed a single bench order that directed a CBI investigation into the Parui murder case till the next date of hearing, which was fixed on Monday. The bench comprising Justices Jayanta Biswas and I C Das directed that the matter would be heard on Monday following a plea to defer the hearing till then by the respondents in the appeal. The bench, while staying Justice Harish Tandon's order till the next date of hearing, asked the state government to produce the case diary in the matter, including the charge sheet that was filed before the sessions court by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

The West Bengal government had on Thursday filed the appeal challenging the single judge order. Justice Tandon had on Wednesday directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the West Bengal DGP to hand over all materials related to the case to CBI while expressing displeasure at the role of the top cop and the way the probe was handled by the SIT. The case pertains to the murder in Birbhum district of Sagar Ghosh, who had in 2013 fought panchayat elections as an Independent candidate in West Bengal.

Justice Tandon had observed that "the confidence entrusted upon the DGP has been shattered as his action during the investigation was all along influenced by the government". "The entire investigation is tainted with extraneous influence, more particularly, by high-profile political executive giving a protective umbrella to the abettor of the offence," he had said. The court had also observed that it was not expected that the DGP would share a report with any officer or the government pleader when the court was monitoring the progress of the case. The DGP had earlier told the court that the charge sheet was filed in the case before the sessions court in Suri without taking the leave of the court on advice from a government advocate.