Calcutta HC orders CBI probe into torture of two women in police custody

Kolkata, Oct 8 (IANS) A single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the alleged torture of two women BJP activists in police custody.

The two women activists of the BJP were arrested by state police after a complaint was lodged against them accusing them of making derogatory comments about the minor daughter of Trinamool Congress’ General Secretary and the party’s Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee.

Later, the two women approached the single- judge Bench of Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj accusing police of excesses, including physical assault while they were in custody.

On Tuesday, while ordering a CBI probe into the matter, Justice Bharadwaj observed such actions on part of the state police were simply unacceptable.

According to him, following the seriousness of the complaint of assault in police custody, investigation on the same cannot be entrusted to the state police and hence the CBI should probe the matter.

Recently a video surfaced where these two woman activists of the BJP were allegedly heard making derogatory remarks against Abhishek Banerjee’s minor daughter from a rally organised to protest against the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata in August.

Based on that video, the authenticity of which could not be cross-checked by IANS, a third woman filed a complaint at Diamond Harbour Police Station.

Acting on that complaint, the police arrested the two women.

The hearing in the matter concluded on Monday. Justice Bharadwaj then kept the order on reserve.

During the hearing, Justice Bharadwaj also raised the question on how FIRs were filed in different police stations in different districts in this single case.

--IANS

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