Rampurhat (West Bengal): Three more people have been arrested in connection with the murder of local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Bhadu Sheikh in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, police said Wednesday. One person was nabbed from the West Bengal-Jharkhand border in Birbhum district, one from this city and the third from Malda district Tuesday night, a police officer said.
“In CCTV footage, they were seen among those hurling bombs during Bhadu Sheikh’s murder. They went into hiding after the incident,” the officer informed. The trio was produced before a court, which remanded them to 10 days in police custody, the officer added. The new arrests took the total number of apprehended persons to four.
Meanwhile, CBI sleuths questioned an officer of Rampurhat police station. They also interrogated witnesses and those arrested in connection with the killing of nine people, including women and children, in Bogtui village following Sheikh’s murder.
The CBI sleuths conducted searches in five locations as part of their probe into the incident. Investigators have prepared a list of firefighters and a few policemen present at the spot during the rescue operation after the incident and spoke with them. “We need to talk to them again to find out more details,” a CBI official said.
Also read: CBI takes over case of Birbhum killings following High Court order
Meanwhile in a separate development, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday that the BJP fact-finding panel’s report on Birbhum killings, submitted to party president JP Nadda, will weaken and interfere with the CBI probe.
Lashing out at the saffron party, Banerjee said that the report mentions the name of TMC Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal. “The BJP report on Bogtui killings will weaken and interfere with the probe. I condemn this attitude of the saffron party. It clearly shows the vindictive attitude of the BJP,” Banerjee told reporters in Darjeeling.
“When an investigation is on there should not be any interference from any (political) party or any side. Investigation must be free and fair. Party interference at this moment is misuse and abuse of power. It may may distort the probe and people will lose their confidence in the investigation,” added Banerjee.
Banerjee’s party colleagues have promised cooperation with the CBI. However, they have also warned of mass agitations if the BJP tries to influence the probe by the central agency.
“They (BJP) have mentioned my district president’s name. This is biased and vindictive attitude. Without completion of probe, how can they name him? It shows they want him to get arrested. This is personal vendetta. They are hatching a conspiracy,” Banerjee said.