Sandeshkhali sting ops video: Plea in SC seeks SIT probe

Kolkata: After the video of a sting operation related to the incident of crime against women in Sandeshkhali surfaced, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court seeking an investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the genuineness of the video.

The application has been filed by a woman belonging to the Scheduled Caste community and sought to intervene in the Special Leave Petition filed by the state challenging the Calcutta High Court’s direction for CBI probe into the allegations of rape and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.

The plea was in connection with reports regarding women being forced to sign blank papers to file false rape complaints. It was mentioned before the Bench of Justice B R Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta for urgent listing. According to a news report, the Bench stated that the request would be considered.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in Bengal recently shared a video of an alleged sting operation featuring a BJP leader Gangadhar Kayal. In the purported video, the veracity of which could not be confirmed by the news agency, a man resembling Koyal was seen claiming that allegations of sexual abuse in Sandeshkhali were “staged”.

Kayal had approached Calcutta High Court seeking a transfer of investigation to the CBI into an alleged sting video. He claimed in his petition that technology-aided videos mimicking his voice were being circulated in a bid to defame him.

The Single Bench of Calcutta High Court had taken a suo motu cognisance of the Sandeshkhali case with regards to alleged crime against women and land grabbing incidents based on several newspaper and electronic media reports.

This along with other petitions filed with regards to the case was heard by the Division Bench.

Chief Justice Sivagnanam held: “Considering the overall scenario and the complexities of the facts involved, we have no doubt in our mind to hold that an impartial enquiry is required to be done by an agency which has power to probe the criminal angle…The state has to provide the required support to the said agency to be appointed by us to enquire into the matter.”