KOLKATA: Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, Vineet Kumar Goyal, to probe the Mominpur violence case.
The Division Bench of Justice Apurba Sinha Ray and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also directed police to preserve and analyse the electronic evidences, including video footages of the incident. Goyal has been directed to take necessary measures for prevention of similar offences and spread of communal hatred in the area.
Court also mentioned in its order that if any resident of the area has been displaced due to the incident then the state government will have to take immediate steps to ensure their return to the locality. These apart, police pickets must be continued to maintain law and order situation.
After the incident of clashes since October 9 in Mominpur area, a PIL was filed seeking an order to deploy central forces in the area. But, on Wednesday High Court dismissed the petition and asked Goyal to take proper action against the accused persons.
The SIT comprising experienced police officers will investigate five cases, which have been registered at the Ekbalpore police station in connection with the incidents of clash.
Goyal has been directed to submit a comprehensive report containing progress in the investigation of the cases, law and order situation in the area, measures taken to prevent similar offences and steps taken to protect life and property of the victims.
Court also directed the state government to submit another report mentioning the steps taken to compensate and rehabilitate the victims of the crime along with measures taken to restore peace in the area.
Apart from directives given to restore normalcy in the area and act against the accused persons, court also directed the state government to send a report to the Centre as per the section 6 of the NIA Act. On behalf of the state government when the Division Bench was informed that the OC of Ekbalpore had already sent an intimation to the Centre, court kept the information on record. Now, the Centre will have to decide whether NIA is going to take over the investigation or not within 15 days of the receipt of the information.
On Wednesday, Goyal during a press conference, said that already 48 people had been arrested.
He also informed that apart from registering five cases regarding the incidents of violence, four more cases were registered against a few people who are found to be circulating video footage of the violence, which may trigger violence in other areas. He also informed that the period of section 144, which was imposed on Monday, had been extended till October 16.