Mamata condemns death of Bogtui violence accused in CBI custody; CID to probe

Kolkata/Shillong: A day after Bogtui violence-accused Lalan Sheikh died in CBI custody in West Bengal's Birbhum district, state CID on Tuesday was ordered to probe into the death which was condemned by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Sheikh's wife claimed that he was "murdered" by agency officials who had earlier demanded from her Rs 50 lakh to clear his name in the case. She also demanded that the CID investigate the death of her husband.

Sheikh’s family members on Tuesday staged demonstrations outside the camp office of the central probe agency in Rampurhat, alleging that he died there due to torture in custody.

The protesters, including several villagers who gathered outside the probe agency’s office at Rampurhat in the district, raised placards of ‘Go Back CBI’ and squatted outside the temporary set up.

Sheikh, a prime accused in Bogtui violence, was found hanging on Monday in the washroom of the camp office set up in a guest house, with CBI officials claiming that he died by suicide.

"I condemn the incident. If the CBI is so smart, why is he (Sheikh) dead inside their custody? I think his wife has lodged an FIR and we will also raise the issue," Banerjee told reporters in Shillong where she had gone to hold party programmes.

A senior official of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal on Tuesday night said, “We received an order to probe into the death of Lalan Sheikh.” The Birbhum district police had already started a probe into the custodial death of the accused person in the Bogtui massacre.

At least 10 people were killed in arson and violence that followed the murder of local Trinamool Congress leader Bhadu Sheikh on March 21 this year. The CBI is investigating the case on the orders of the Calcutta High Court.

Sheikh’s wife Reshma Bibi on Tuesday morning filed a complaint at Rampurhat Police Station, alleging that CBI officials had threatened to kill her husband during their visit to Bogtui village as part of the investigation process.

Sheikh's inconsolable wife, talking to reporters, said, "My husband has been murdered by CBI officers. He could not have died by suicide. The officers who came to our house along with Lalan on Monday afternoon had asked for Rs 50 lakh to clear his name. They had also beaten me up at that time." The central agency, however, rejected the allegations as "baseless".

A senior CBI official said that any of the agency sleuths, if found guilty of lapses during the inquiry into the case, will have to face strict action.

"We are here to investigate the case. Nobody in our team asks for money from anybody. Such allegations are absolutely baseless," the CBI officer added.

The post-mortem examination of Sheikh's body was completed in the evening and the procedure to hand it over to the family is being done.