Taking suo motu cognizance of Birbhum carnage that saw 10 people burnt to death in an alleged intra-party feud, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the State Government to produce the case diary/report in the case before it by 2 pm on Thursday, when the matter will be taken up for hearing again.
The court also directed Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) Delhi to immediately collect necessary materials for forensic examination at Bagtui village in Birbhum.
The HC asked the DGP to ensure safety of witnesses, including that of a minor boy injured in the arson, in consultation with the district judge, Purba Bardhaman.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj said, “Let no evidence be destroyed. The district court and the State DGP will have to ensure the safety of every villager and witnesses. If any post-mortem is pending, it will have to be videographed.’’
The court also directed the administration to install CCTV in the area.
Last time a similar cognizance had been taken by the HC was in 2009 after the Nandigram police firing saw 14 people dead. The court had then ordered a CBI investigation in the Nadigram case.
Additional Solicitor General YJ Dastur, representing the CBI, submitted that the CBI is ready if an investigation by it is ordered by the court.
