Bengal post-poll violence: Retired Calcutta HC chief Justice Manjula Chellur to head SIT probe

The retired Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Manjula Chellur to head the SIT probe.

New Delhi: The retired Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Manjula Chellur to head the SIT constituted by Calcutta HC to probe the post-poll violence cases reported during the assembly polls in the state.

Earlier, on August 19, in a major setback to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta HC had ordered a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incidents of post-poll violence in the state, and for other cases, the court has ordered an SIT. The court also ruled that the compensation to victims to be given through direct bank accounts.

Meanwhile, the state government has also filed a Special Leave Petition challenging the Calcutta High Court order in the Supreme Court. 

A seven-member committee set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had earlier looked into alleged incidents of post-poll violence and recommended a court-monitored CBI probe.

On the other hand, the CBI on Thursday filed its first charge sheet in the ongoing probe into violence following elections in West Bengal. In the charge sheet, they have accused two men of murdering a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker in the Birbhum district in May.

According to the PTI report, the charge sheet, submitted before the Rampurhat court, contains the names of the two accused allegedly involved in the murder of a BJP worker, following the declaration of assembly election results on May 2.