NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday made it clear to the CBI that it would not quash the probe against its officers, including the DIG and an SP, in connection with the custodial death of Lalan Sheikh who was the prime accused in the Bogtui violence in West Bengal but said it would consider appointing two more officers as part of the special investigation team (SIT).
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti said custody death was a serious issue and the matter needed to be probed. Additional solicitor general S V Raju, appearing for the agency, said the CBI officers were being implicated in the case and expressed doubt on the impartiality of the probe. The ASG said the probe should be done by an independent body and not by the state police.
The bench said it could induct IPS officers from other states in the SIT to allay the CBI’s apprehension that the probe would not be fair. Though the court had said in the previous hearing that it would consider inducting one more officer, it said on Tuesday that two IPS officers from other states would be made part of the SIT set up by Calcutta high court.
However, the bench turned down Raju’s plea that the head of the SIT should be appointed by the apex court. It asked the state to seek instruction on its proposal to appoint two more officers in the SIT.
The CBI officers were booked by the state CID following a police complaint lodged by Sheikh’s wife, Reshma Bibi. An FIR was lodged under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 323 (causing hurt) and 325 (assault and grievous hurt, 120B (criminal conspiracy), 448 (trespass) and 509 (defamation of a woman).Violence broke out at Bogtui in Birbhum d istrict on March 21, 2022, in the aftermath of the death of Trinamool Congress leader Bhadu Sheikh near his residence.