In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered its first case in the ongoing probe into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali. The case was initiated after the Calcutta High Court ordered a court-monitored investigation by the CBI into these allegations. The CBI has been tasked with investigating the entire gamut of allegations, including crimes against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali. The agency is expected to submit a comprehensive report to the High Court by the next date of hearing, May 2.
The CBI has been actively investigating the allegations, which had sparked widespread outrage and concern. The agency circulated an email ID for people to lodge complaints, and a large number of complaints were received. A team of CBI officials was dispatched to Sandeshkhali to ascertain the allegations and proceed with the registration of cases where the allegations could be prima facie verified.
After preliminary verification during a field visit to the area, the CBI has registered the first FIR in connection with the allegations of land grab and assault on women. The identity of the accused and the victims has not yet been disclosed by the CBI.
The Calcutta High Court had also directed the CBI to investigate the alleged illegal conversion of agricultural land into water bodies for pisciculture. The agency is examining revenue records and conducting physical inspections of the land alleged to have been converted.
The CBI’s investigation is expected to shed light on the extent and nature of the alleged land grab and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali. The agency’s findings and recommendations are likely to have far-reaching implications for the case and the fight against such crimes in West Bengal.
