Kolkata: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a detailed report from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), District Magistrate and the District Superintendent of Police in connection with the mysterious death of Lalan Sheikh, the prime accused in the Bogtui carnage in March this year, who died in CBI custody on December 12.
The NHRC has also sought other details like the post-mortem and inquest reports.
As per the preliminary post-mortem report, choking of the wind-pipe because of hanging had been the cause of death.
The report has also referred to superficial bruises on Lalan Sheikh’s body.
Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that the shower-end at the toilet at CBI’s camp office at Rampurhat in Birbhum district, where Lalan Sheikh’s body was found hanging was at a distance of six feet from the floor, while the height of the deceased was 5.5 feet.
His body was found in a partially hanging position with a ‘gamcha’ (Indian towel) tied around his neck.
A plastic stool was also recovered from near his body.
Based on an FIR filed with the district police by Lalan Sheikh’s wife Reshma Biwi, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had started an investigation in the matter.
CBI has challenged the FIR at the Calcutta High Court claiming it to be motivated as it named Sushanta Bhattacharya, the investigation officer in the cattle-smuggling scam and having no connection with the separate central agency team probing the Bogtui carnage.
There was a demand for a second post-mortem of Lalan Sheikh’s body at a central government-run hospital in the state.
However, it could not happen following objections from his wife.
On December 23, the Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta expressed anguish over the style of probe by CID-West Bengal.
Justice Sengupta took exception that the CID sleuths probing the matter are to record the statements of the victim’s wife.
–IANS