Kolkata college violence: CPI(M) demands CBI probe

Kolkata: CPI(M) on Monday demanded a CBI inquiry into the Garden Reach violence that claimed the life of a police official, saying the CID probe ordered by the West Bengal government would not yield any result. "We demand a CBI inquiry into the Garden Reach violence as we have no trust on the CID probe ordered by the state government since it may influence the investigation process to cover up facts and remove evidences," leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and CPI(M) politburo member Suryakanta Mishra said.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for reacting to the Garden Reach violence 50 hours after the occurrence of the incident, he said, "I am worried if she creates pressure on the Kolkata Police Commissioner to change the FIR in the SI killing incident or pull him up and later threatens him to pack up if the commissioner declines to oblige her." "The Police Commissioner was removed on the charge of delay in taking action in the Garden Reach violence but I feel the charge should be directed towards the chief minister for her belated reaction after 50 hours," Mishra said. He expressed apprehension that the handing over of the probe from Kolkata Police to CID would "help the key accused get more time to remove evidences and give protection to a minister, whose name figured along with the absconding accused in the case". Special Branch sub-inspector Tapas Chowdhury was shot dead in a clash between Congress and Trinamool Party workers during a college election at Garden Reach area here on February 2. Two days after the incident, the city police commissioner RK Pachnanda was removed from his post by Banerjee. PTI