State files details of CID probe in Netai carnage

KOLKATA - The West Bengal state administration Friday filed three affidavits before the Calcutta High Court stating the progress in the probe into the Jan 7 Netai village carnage and on the presence of armed camps in and around Lalgarh area.

Home Secretary G.D. Gautama and Additional Director General of Police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Raj Kanojia were present in the court to submit the reports in the public interest litigation.

The case was filed Jan 10 by the Calcutta High Court Bar Association seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Jan 7 Netai village carnage in Lalgarh, about 200 km west of Kolkata in West Midnapore district, in which nine people were killed and 12 injured.

The reports were filed in compliance with the court’s Jan 19 order asking the state to give details of the CID probe as well as the state’s stand on the dismantling of armed camps supposed to exist in Jungle Mahal area (Maoist-affected forest areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts).

The report was given in a sealed envelope to which the petitioners contended that they should also be given a copy of the same so that they may get acquainted with the state of investigation.

Advocate General Balai Roy in return contended that “investigation was midway and any facts revealed publicly might jeopardise it”.

The state also submitted before the court that in spite of their best efforts the police could not locate any armed camp which the petitioners have claimed existed in the Maoist hit areas.

The petitioners represented by Kalyan Banerjee then accused the state administration of deliberately sending subordinate officers for the purpose.

The petitioners had filed an affidavit Jan 14 giving details of a number of armed camps alleged to be under the patronage of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) existing in the Jungle Mahal area.

The petitioners also alleged that the state government has intentionally given the responsibility of forensic tests to people of its choice to get favourable reports.

Talking to mediapersons later, Banerjee said: “The state today (Friday) filed the progress report of investigation along with the affidavit by the home secretary. The court has gone through the progress report and put certain questions to the respondent namely whether any other persons have been arrested or not to which the answer was no.

“The court also wanted to know if any public advertisement of the absconding accused has been made to which the answer was once again no.”

“We observe that no progress has been made in the investigation. They have also filed an affidavit stating that they have not found any armed camps. It appears the state police intentionally sent subordinate personnel like constables, home guards and junior officers to find out if there were any armed camps,” added Banerjee.

The court will take up the matter again Feb 15.