CBI forms 4 teams to probe post-poll violence in Bengal

New Delhi:- Hours after the Calcutta High Court handed over the investigation of serious crimes like rape and murder in the post-poll violence in West Bengal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Central probe agency on Thursday formed four teams comprising six officers in each of them for the purpose, sources said on Thursday.

A CBI source told IANS, “Four special investigation units have been constituted to probe the Bengal post-poll violence cases.”

The source said that there will be six members in each team and each unit will be headed by a joint director level officer.

The source also said that the investigating officer will soon visit the state to initiate the probe.

In a major blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, a five-member bench of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday handed over the investigation of serious crimes like rape and murder in the post-poll violence to the CBI, besides forming a three-member team to investigate the lesser criminal offences.

The court also directed the state government to immediately process the compensation for the victims of post-poll violence.

Accepting the National Human Rights Commission’s recommendation, the high court directed that the investigation into the violence following the April-May elections in Bengal will be conducted by a special team to be set up by the CBI.

The CBI will probe the serious crimes such as rape and murder. A separate division bench has been formed to monitor the CBI investigation.

Similarly, the division bench also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the lesser crimes that occured after the elections.