Bengal post-poll violence: HC asks CBI to file progress report on probe in December

By PTI

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the CBI to file a progress report on its investigation on alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal on the next date of hearing in December.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice I P Mukerji also said victims of the violence would have to file appropriate applications to seek compensation.

The court, which is monitoring the investigation into alleged post-poll violence in the state, directed the CBI to file a report on further progress in the probe on December 23, the next date of hearing.

Lawyers for some petitioners took up the issue of payment of compensation to victims, to be paid by the state as was directed by a five-judge bench earlier.

The division bench said that appropriate applications should be filed by the victims to claim compensation.

A five-judge bench presided over by the then Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal had on August 19 ordered a CBI investigation into all cases of murder and crimes against women such as rape and attempt to rape in post-poll violence in West Bengal.

Passing judgement in PILs seeking an independent probe in alleged violence in the state following the state assembly elections in March-April this year, the bench had ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising three IPS officers of West Bengal cadre to probe all other cases.

The bench, also comprising justices I P Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Subrata Talukdar had directed that both the investigations would be monitored by the high court.

The bench had also ordered the West Bengal government to pay compensation to the victims of crime as per the policy of the state, after due verification and directed that the amount would be directly transferred to their bank accounts.

The CBI and the SIT had on October 4 filed status reports before the Calcutta High Court on the progress of investigation.

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