PIL For CBI Probe In 5 Recent Rape Cases In WB: Calcutta HC Calls For Case Diary & Status Report, Extends Police Protection To Victims & Witnesses

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to submit the case diary along with a status report pertaining to the investigation into the 5 recent rape cases that are reported in various districts of West Bengal this 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 in the last few weeks.

The direction was issued by the Court while adjudicating upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by women advocates of the High Court seeking a probe by the CBI or any other independent agency into the rape cases. 

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Prakasha Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj on Tuesday noted that most of the rape cases involved minors. Considering the nature of the incidents and the allegations levelled, Bench directed Advocate General S.N Mookherjee appearing on behalf of the State government to produce a report relating to the status of the investigation and also the case diary on the next date of hearing. 

The Court also ordered the competent authorities to extend full protection to the victims and the witnesses in the rape cases in the meantime. 

The matter is slated to be heard next on April 26. 

During the proceedings, the petitioner alleged that investigation is not being done properly by the concerned police authorities and that offences under the provisions applicable have not been registered. She further contended that victims and witnesses in these rape cases have not been given adequate protection. Accordingly, the Court's leave was sought to order a CBI probe or a probe by an other independent agency into the rape cases. 

On the other hand, the Advocate General apprised the Court that investigation in all the rape cases is being conducted properly. Furthermore, he submitted that in all the incidents no allegations have been reported in the media that there has been any lapse in the ongoing investigation. 

Background 

It may be noted that last week, the High Court had ordered a CBI investigation into the Hanshkhali gangrape and murder case wherein the victim had allegedly been raped by the son of an influential political leader of the ruling TMC party and a member of the Gaza Gram Panchayat.

Furthermore, the High Court last week had also asked IPS officer Damayanti Sen to oversee the probe in Deganga, Matia, Ingrejbazar and Banshdroni rape cases in West Bengal.

In the Namkhana case, 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. 

In the Netra case, a 45-year-old man from Netra village was arrested on April 13 for allegedly raping and threatening a minor girl. The victim, who is a student of Class 6 reportedly said in her police complaint that the accused sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions and threatened her not to reveal the incident.

In the Santiniketan rape case, an Adivasi minor girl was reportedly gang-raped in Santiniketan in Birbhum district by at least five men when she was returning home from a village fair. 

In the Pingla rape case, an alleged rape attempt 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. 

In the Mainaguri rape case, an attempt to rape had been made on a minor girl on February 28 and a police complaint had been lodged. However, the victim was subjected to intimidation by the accused on April 14 for lodging the police complaint and consequently she had attempted to die by suicide by setting herself ablaze. She is currently admitted in the hospital and is in a critical condition. 

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

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