'SIT will probe student leader's death, submit report in 15 days'
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that a special investigation team (SIT) would inquire into the death of student leader Anis Khan who was allegedly pushed from the second floor of his house in Amta, Howrah on Friday night. Meanwhile, Calcutta High Court took suo motu cognizance of the alleged murder.
"An SIT will be set up to probe into Anis's death. The Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police will monitor the probe by the SIT team which will also have officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). It will submit its report to me within 15 days," Banerjee said after the Cabinet meeting at Nabanna.
Soon after the Chief Minister's announcement SIT was constituted. Referring to the death as unfortunate Banerjee reiterated that the state government will conduct a fair and impartial investigation in the case. "If I am guilty, I will also not be spared. I'm rough and tough in these cases and have zero tolerance in these kinds of incidents. I have spoken to the DG. They have already given a forensic report. An impartial inquiry will be conducted and whoever is guilty will be caught and punished as per law. Nobody will be spared. It is an unpardonable act," she said.
Banerjee said that many people do not know that Anis was in regular touch with the TMC (Trinamool Congress) and had helped her party during the elections.
"Anis was our favourite boy. We had a good relationship. He was in touch with us and had even helped me a lot during the election," she said, appealing to Anis's family members to have faith in her.
In the evening, Director General of police Manoj Malaviya said that a three member SIT has been constituted which will be headed by Gyanwant Singh, ADG, CID with Meeraj Khalid, DIG, CID (operations) and Dhrubajyoti De, Joint Commissioner of Barrackpore Police Commissionerate as members.
"The SIT team has already left for the spot and there will be an impartial enquiry to find out the offenders. I will urge the family members to cooperate with the SIT," he added.
Advocate Bikash Bhattacharya submitted before the High Court on Monday that it was a pre-planned murder. The court directed the state lawyer, Amitesh Banerjee, to take comprehensive instructions from the state administration. The case will be heard on February 24.
State Panchayats and Rural Development minister Pulak Roy who is an MLA from Uluberia Dakshin visited the family of the deceased on Monday morning and assured impartial enquiry into the matter. "We are always with the family and there should not be any politics done over the matter," Roy said.
The family was asked to meet Banerjee at Nabanna and they initially agreed to do so. But later the family stepped down assigning ill health of the victim's father Salam Khan.
The victim's mobile phone was recovered from the second floor of his own residence on Monday afternoon with the phone's cover glass in damaged condition. The phone was switched off and after charging it became functional. However, the family members refused to hand it over to the police and said that they will act only on the directions of the High Court or to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The family members have been demanding a CBI probe into the death since Sunday.
Meanwhile, Saumya Roy, Superintendent of Police, Howrah (Rural) said that a case under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act was earlier filed against Anis at Bagnan police station.
