The Hindu : Front Page : High Court orders probe by CBI into Rizwanur Rahman’s death

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Wednesday, Oct 17, 2007
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High Court orders probe by CBI into Rizwanur Rahman’s death

Special Correspondent

“The inquiry being conducted by the CID is not in accordance with the law”

— Photo: SUSHANTA PATRONOBISH

“HOPE FOR JUSTICE”: Rukhwanur Rahman, elder brother of deceased computer graphics teacher Rizwanur, in front of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday.

KOLKATA: In an interim order, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to investigate the death of Rizwanur Rahman, a computer graphics teacher, whose body was found near the rail track near here on September 21.

Justice Soumitra Pal, in his order, directed the CBI to submit its report to the High Court within two months.

Public outcry

The death of Rahman, only weeks after his marriage to Priyanka against the wishes of her family, had created a public outcry and raised suspicions of the involvement of some senior police officials in the events leading to it.

The High Court observed that it was prima facie satisfied that the inquiry being conducted by the State’s Criminal Investigation Department was not in accordance with law.

The State’s Advocate-General, Balai Roy, said the government would not appeal against the High Court order for now but “we may consider an appeal against the observation that the CID investigation was not according to law.”

Welcomed

The High Court’s ruling came at the end of a series of hearings on a petition filed by Rahman’s family seeking a CBI inquiry.

The ruling was greeted with cheers by a large crowd which gathered outside the High Court demanding justice and a CBI inquiry.

Rahman’s mother welcomed the court decision, saying she was now hopeful that justice would be done and action taken against those responsible for the death of her son. “We have been wanting a CBI inquiry from the very start,” she said.

Rahman’s elder brother, Rukhwanur, who was present in the courtroom, said, “We are grateful to the people of the State for rallying behind us in our demand for a CBI probe … we are now hopeful that justice will be done.”

The government will hand over the proceedings once the CBI takes over the inquiry and the CID will no longer continue with its investigations, Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray said.

“If the [High Court] order stands we will hand over the papers,” he added. The government had also ordered a judicial inquiry that was to submit its report within three months.

Mamata’s demand

The Calcutta High Court’s order is a “slap on the face of the West Bengal government and the Chief Minister should resign,” Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said.

CBI team for Kolkata

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Soon after the verdict, CBI sources told PTI: “We have decided that the Special Crime cell in New Delhi will investigate the case.”

The CBI team will travel to Kolkata soon, the sources added.

When contacted, CBI Director Vijay Shanker told PTI that “we will comply with the High Court order in the cause of justice and complete the investigation in the quickest, transparent and objective manner.”

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