Custodial death likely to hamper CBI's pace in West Bengal

New Delhi: The death of Bogtui carnage accused Lalon Sheikh in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has become another flash point between the West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee and the Centre.

The state police have lodged an FIR against the CBI officials and started an investigation into the case on the basis of a complaint lodged by Skeikh’s wife Reshma Biwi who alleged that her husband was murdered in custody. 

She also alleged that the CBI officials asked for a bribe of Rs 50 lakh to clear his name. 

The CBI too has initiated a departmental inquiry into the matter. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a suo moto cognisance of the case.

Sources said preliminary inquiry suggests Lalon Sheikh told his paramilitary guards in the Rampurhat camp office of the CBI that he wants to take bath and later he was found hanging naked in the bathroom.

The Rampurhat camp office of the CBI was guarded by the paramilitary personnel who were deployed at the request of the CBI.

“Sheikh should not have been left alone even for a moment. It was such a sensitive matter. As a routine procedure, we deploy guards round the clock especially when an accused is taken outside the office for a recovery to be effected or for a court appearance. Even at the night, guards stay with the accused person in shifts of two hours. Accused persons are not allowed to stay in the toilets for long. But it seems Sheikh was allowed in the bathroom for very long unchecked. If someone had frequently checked him, even in case of suicide by hanging using a bath towel, he would have been noticed earlier and taken to the hospital. The CBI needs to look into all these aspects during its departmental probe,” said a senior police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

He added that the CBI brass will have to fix responsibility if any negligence is found in its departmental inquiry.  

Officials in the CBI now apprehend that the West Bengal police probe into the death of Sheikh may turn into a public spectacle.

CBI officials will be called for questioning as there is no stay on the probe into the matter. The high court has ordered the state police not to take any coercive action against the accused person - seven CBI officials which include an unnamed Superintendent of Police and Deputy Inspector General rank official of the agency - who have been named in the FIR. 

It is going be demoralising for the agency which is already operating in a very hostile environment in West Bengal, they added.  

The officials investigating the cattle smuggling case too have been named in the state police FIR, even though they were not present in the Rampurhat camp office and have nothing to do with the probe against Sheikh.

Lalon Sheikh was a prime accused in the March 21 Bogtui massacre that claimed 10 lives.

He was arrested by the CBI earlier this month after remaining on the run. He was found hanging in the bathroom of the Rampurhat camp office on the evening of December 12.

Political observers say the custodial death of Sheikh has brought the CBI on the backfoot in West Bengal and it will require deft handling from experienced hands to bring the agency out of choppy waters.

After the death of Lalon Sheikh, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee commented that if the agency was so smart why did Sheikh die? Now, this is the question, the CBI needs to ask itself.