SC notice to West Bengal govt over CBI probe into death of BJP worker

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the West Bengal government to respond to a plea by family members of a BJP worker, Dulal Kumar, seeking a CBI probe into his death in Purulia. He was found hanging from an electric pole after Panchayat polls in 2018.

The top court also said it was conscious that the political parties used the forum to settle personal scores.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant gave four weeks time to the state to respond to the application of impleadment filed by the victim's family.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the West Bengal government, objected to the plea made by senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia on the basis of news reports. The court, however, rejected it, saying there is a vast difference between Bhatia, approaching the court and victim's family members doing it.

"We are quite conscious that opposition parties are also using the forum of court to settle personal scores," the bench said.

The court had on March 27, 2019, directed the West Bengal government to furnish a copy of the post mortem examination conducted by a medical board into the suspicious death of Dulal Kumar. On Monday, it transpired that the state police had filed a closure report in the matter, terming it to be a "case of suicide due to extra-marital affairs".

Bhatia contended that the FIR was lodged after 20 days of the "killing" by the ruling party members, TMC, and the family members' statement was not recorded by the police.

The 32-year-old was found hanging from an electric pole in Purulia's Balarampur area on June 2, 2018.

The top court had earlier closed the matter arising out of the alleged killing of two BJP workers, Shaktipada Sarkar, a block president in the Mandirbazar-Dhanurhat area on July 28, and Tirlochan Mahato on May 30, 2018. In both the cases, the accused have been charge-sheeted, the court noted.