PIL seeking witness protection scheme in Hanskhali rape case: HC reserves order

kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday reserved its order in a petition seeking the implementation of the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 in the Hanskhali gangrape and murder case.

On April 4, the girl had gone to the birthday party of the accused at his residence in Hanskhali and was allegedly drugged before being raped. She died a day after allegedly owing to bleeding following the atrocity on her.

While the minor was allegedly cremated in the village crematorium without post-mortem examination or a death certificate, a complaint was lodged on April 9 at Hanskhali police station by her family members.

The main accused was arrested shortly after the complaint was filed. The second suspect was arrested early on Tuesday in connection with alleged rape of a minor girl in Hanskhali area.

Advocate Anindya Sundar Das had filed a PIL seeking CBI inquiry in Hashkhali rape and murder case of a minor.

Earlier, a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj, ordered CBI probe in the Hanskhali rape case. The CBI had to submit the progress report of the investigation on May 2. Earlier, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had found that the names of the father and cousin brother of the victim of Hanskhali rape case have been mentioned in the FIR that was registered by the state police.

Police claimed that the names were included in the FIR on the basis of her mother's statement.