Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday has directed the state CID to investigate the deaths of two men at a fair in Khejuri, East Midnapore district, after an apparent discrepancy in autopsy reports raised questions over the circumstances of their demise.
The deceased, a man in his 60s and a 23-year-old, allegedly died on July 12 after an electric pole fell on them while they were returning from the fair. However, their families have claimed that they were murdered.
Earlier, the court had ordered a second autopsy to determine the precise cause of death. During the hearings, the families requested that the cases be transferred to the CBI, citing a lack of faith in the local police investigation.
The bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh rejected this request, stating that transferring the cases to the Central agency at this stage would amount to a “gallery show” and emphasised that the priority was to ensure a proper investigation.
On Tuesday, the court instructed the Additional Director General (ADG) of the CID to appoint a DIG-ranked officer to form a special investigation team (SIT) under the agency’s Homicide Section to handle the cases. The CID has been directed to submit a progress report by September 25. The court also ordered that the second autopsy report, submitted in a sealed cover by doctors from SSKM Hospital, be handed over to the CID investigating officer.
During the proceedings, Justice Ghosh noted the need to distinguish between deaths caused by electrocution and those resulting from assault. The families had claimed that one of the deceased bore injury marks, asserting that the deaths were due to assault rather than electrocution.
Representing the state, Advocate General Kishore Dutta argued that certain marks may appear on bodies kept in morgues or during transport.