SC dismisses WB govt's plea against CBI probe of custodial death

The Supreme Court today dismissed Mamata Banerjee government's plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order for a CBI probe into the alleged custodial death of a Trinamool Congress worker in Dhaniakhali police station area in Hooghly district of West Bengal.

"We are not inclined to entertain it," a bench of justices A K Patnaik and Ranjan Gogoi on the West Bengal government's petition.

The High Court had on May 13 ordered a CBI probe in the case and had directed the CID, which was investigating the case, to hand over all papers and documents with regard to the case to the central agency.

Nasiruddin, a Trinamool Congress worker, was allegedly picked up by officers of Dhaniakhali police station on January 18 from near his house in connection with a case regarding registration papers of his newly-bought small transport vehicle.

A friend of Nasiruddin was allegedly called to the police station in the late hours of January 18 and was asked to take him to hospital claiming that he was not well.

On being taken to a government hospital, the doctors declared Nasiruddin brought dead.
The state government had handed over the investigation into Nasiruddin's death to CID following a furore over the death.

A PIL was then filed by an advocate praying for a CBI investigation claiming that a fair and impartial investigation was not possible by any state agency as the allegation was against the state police.

The High Court, upon hearing the submissions of the petitioner and the state, had criticised the pace and manner of the investigation.