[Kaliyaganj Minor’s Rape-Murder Case] Calcutta HC directs State Police to file detailed report of investigation

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Synopsis

The court directed the state police to file a progress report of its investigation into the incident. 

The Calcutta High Court recently sought a detailed report from Mekhilygunge Police in a case involving unnatural death of a minor girl in Kaliyaganj, West Bengal's North Dinajpur district.

The single judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the state police to file a progress report on its investigation into the incident by the next date of hearing on May 2, 2023.

Justice Mantha also asked to preserve the videography of the victim’s post-mortem for further investigation.

According to a report in the Economic Times, internet services are blocked in West Bengal's Kaliyaganj community development block till April 30 following the suspected rape and murder of a girl.

The victim’s father requested to transfer the matter to CBI for further investigation. After this, the court ordered the state government to give the girl's father copies of the postmortem and inquest reports, as well as the FIR in the case.

On April 21, 2023, the 17 years old victim’s body was found floating in a Pond in Kaliyaganj, North Dinajpur District, West Bengal. It was alleged that she was raped and killed.

Krishnendu Bhattacharya, the petitioner's counsel, stated that the victim was sexually assaulted and tortured to death and requested that the inquiry be moved to the CBI because her parents had lost faith in the state authorities' investigation.

He further stated that the girl's family was yet to receive any documents from the police and requested a second postmortem because the body was not cremated but buried to preserve evidence.

To this, Justice said that at this stage such prayer is pre-mature.

The court ruled that the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which had requested copies of the inquest and postmortem reports, as well as the FIR, may collect from the police records pertaining to the girl's death and the investigation in accordance with statute.

The advocate representing the state argued that according to the postmortem report, there was no evidence of sexual assault on the body, but there were signs of poisoning.

He said that some persons caused the disturbance and moved the body to a nearby market area to be burned and that the police had to take it away in order to conduct a postmortem.

Accordingly, the court ordered West Bengal police to submit a progress report on their investigation into the unnatural death of a juvenile girl in Kaliyaganj.

The matter is listed on May 02, 2023.