Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed West Bengal Police to extend all facilities to the
CBI investigating the January 7 Netai massacre in West
Midnapore district, and asked the CID to ensure that there was
no intimidation of witnesses.
A division bench of Chief Justice J N Patel and
Justice A K Roy gave the direction after CBI submitted that
the state police was not cooperating with it in the probe.
The bench asked the state government to ensure that
the police provided vehicles and extended facilities for the
CBI inquiry after its counsel made a submission.
The Calcutta High Court Bar Association, the
petitioner, alleged intimidation of witnesses in the case.
It said that three witnesses had complained to the
police that they were intimidated against deposing before the
CBI court.
The police was also asked to ensure that there was no
intimidation and asked the CID to locate areas from where such
incidents were reported.
The CBI counsel informed the bench that the probe
agency had come to know that armed camps existed in West
Midnapore district since 2009.
Advocate-General Balai Roy, who represented the state,
assured the court that police camps would be posted at Netai
and its surrounding areas within 24 hours to prevent any
intimidation.
A local court in Jhargram yesterday filed charge sheet
against twenty persons, all CPI-M leaders, for the massacre.
The charge sheet, filed before the Jhargram sub-
divisional court, named 20 persons responsible for the
incident in which nine persons, including four women, were
killed and over thirty others injured.
Of the total accused, twelve were arrested while eight
are presently absconding.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, April 05, 2011, 19:21