After cops cite property dispute as murder motive, HC orders CBI probe

Kolkata: Even as police claimed that the murder of Tapan Kandu— four-time Congress councillor of Jhalda Municipality in Purulia district—was a fallout of a property dispute, the Calcutta High court on Monday ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into his death. He was allegedly shot at by unidentified assailants near his home on March 13.

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, during the hearing of the plea moved by the widow of the deceased Councillor Purnima Kandu seeking a CBI probe on the ground that no progress in the investigation has been made by the State investigating authorities, took on record the case diary as well as a further status report filed by the concerned police authorities.

The court directed the central agency to submit a report on its investigation in the case in 45 days.Tapan Kandu's family accused the local police of involvement in connection with the murder.

Especially, the inspector in charge of Jhalda police who later got a clean chit by the SP.

However, the police claimed that the murder was fallout of a property dispute.

Police have claimed that Rs 7 lakh was given to the killers by Kandu's brother, Naren, who has been arrested in the case. Purulia police superintendent S Selvamurugan on Sunday called Naren the prime suspect and added the murder was the fallout of an old family dispute and has nothing to do with politics.

The Court also noted that the Inspector-In-Charge of the Jhalda Police station, Sanjib Ghosh, who is set to have facilitated the crime, has not yet been taken into custody.