Moynaguri Sexual Assault: PIL In Calcutta High Court Seeks CBI Probe After Minor Victim Sets Herself Ablaze Over Threat To Withdraw Complaint, Dies

A renewed prayer for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been made before the Calcutta High Court on Monday with regards to an incident of attempted rape that took place at Moynaguri in West Bengal last month, in light of the fact that the minor victim had succumbed to her injuries. 

The minor victim girl who had set herself ablaze following a threat to withdraw a police complaint regarding the rape attempt on her, succumbed to her injuries in a state-run hospital on April 25. 

The Court was adjudicating upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition seeking a CBI probe into 5 recent rape cases that are reported in various districts of West Bengal last month. Incidents of rape have been reported to have taken place at Netra and Namkhana villages in South 24 Parganas district, at Pingla in West Midnapore district, at a village near Santiniketan in Birbhum district and at Mainaguri of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal last month. 

The concerned counsel appearing for the petitioner apprised a Bench comprising Chief Justice Prakasha Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj that the prime accused who is purported to be a member of the ruling Trinamool Congress Party had been granted bail in the case despite the offence being cognisable and non-bailable. 

The Court was further informed that two men with their faces covered had come to the victim's house on April 13 when the victim was alone and had threatened her to withdraw the police complaint. Thereafter, the terrified girl had set herself on fire the next day, counsel submitted further. 

It was also contended that initially the family of the victim had vehemently demanded a CBI probe into the case but however later they changed their stance allegedly due to political pressure. A pen drive containing relevant video clips pertaining to the incident was also submitted before the Court. 

However at this point Advocate General contended that all additional documents submitted in support of the plea must be filed along with an affidavit and then placed on record. 

Taking note of the submissions, the Bench directed the counsel appearing for the petitioner to file an affidavit containing the additional materials in support of her plea within the course of the day. Accordingly, the matter was directed to be listed for further hearing on the next working day i.e. on May 3. 

The Court on the last date of hearing had taken on record the status report as well as the case diary pertaining to the investigation into the rape case. Furthermore, the Court had earlier directed IPS officer Parul Kush Jain to oversee the probe in the Pingla rape case wherein an alleged attempt to rape was made on a differently-abled woman by a local panchayat member said to have affiliation to the Trinamool Congress at Pingla in West Midnapore district on April 11.

The Court on the last date of hearing had also ordered IPS officer Damayanti Sen to oversee the probe in the Namkhana rape case wherein a 40-year-old woman was reportedly gang-raped on April 8 by five men in West Bengal's Namkhana village and an attempt had also been made to pour kerosene inside the victim's private parts and set her ablaze. The Court had earlier also directed the IPS officer to supervise the investigation of 4 other recent rape cases in Deganga, Matia, Ingrejbazar and Banshdroni villages of West Bengal. The direction was issued while adjudicating upon two Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions seeking a CBI probe into the rape case.

Case Title: Pallabi Chatterjee and Ors v. State of West Bengal and other connected matters.