Bengal challenges HC order for CBI probe into Cong councillor’s murder

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Thursday challenged the Calcutta high court’s order for a CBI probe into the March 13 murder of Congress councillor Tapan Kandu in Purulia district.

The state government moved a division bench of chief justice Prakash Shrivastava and justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj, seeking an early hearing into the matter.

The chief justice asked the counsel for the state to submit his plea for the court’s consideration while lawyers who sought the CBI probe argued that inspector-in-charge of Jhalda police station was being protected by the state.

Kandu was shot dead by unidentified assailants on March 13. A TMC councillor was also killed in North 24 Parganas district on the same day.

Kandu’s killing came days after elections to the Jhalda municipality was held. The TMC and Congress had won five seats each in the February 27 elections with Independent candidates bagging the two remaining seats. One of them later joined the TMC, which formed the new civic board on Tuesday.

Five personnel of Purulia district police were confined to their barracks on March 20 following charges of dereliction of duty. Four people have been arrested so far. Kandu’s widow, Purnima, alleged the state is trying to stop the CBI probe because TMC leaders and the police were involved in the murder. “The government welcomed CBI probe into the Birbhum massacre but does not want the agency to investigate my husband’s murder. This proves that the TMC and the police are involved,” she said, referring to the March 21 arson at Bogtui village that left nine dead.