WB post-poll violence: CBI registered 51 cases, filed chargesheets in 20 cases of sexual assault

New Delhi [India], January 4 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered 51 cases, filed chargesheets in 20 cases as of January 1 in incidents involving offences of murder, rape and attempt to rape during post-poll violence in West Bengal, said the investigating agency's spokesperson RC Joshi on Tuesday.
On August 19, 2021, the Calcutta High Court had ordered CBI to investigate the incidents involving offences of murder, rape and attempt to rape.
"As such, CBI has registered the cases meeting only these criteria which are under progress. As of January 1, 2022, CBI has registered 51 cases, has filed chargesheets in 20 cases in about 4 months," said Joshi.
He further informed that over 100 persons have been charge-sheeted.
"No case meeting the criteria laid down by Calcutta High Court and referred by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has been closed," the CBI spokesperson noted.
"In so far as 29 complaints of sexual offences referred by NHRC, CBI has registered seven regular cases and rest are being legally processed," he informed
Condemning the reports on allegations levelled at the agency of finding no evidence in 21 cases listed by NHRC, he said, "CBI strongly refutes the reports published in a section of media alleging that CBI has found no evidence in 21 cases listed by NHRC relating to rape and attempt to rape, which were mandated to CBI by Calcutta High Court."
"These reports contain a misrepresentation of facts, are blatantly mischievous, grossly misleading and entirely false," he added.
CBI in a statement clarified that it had received 29 complaints of sexual assault from NHRC related to sexual offences till 22 December 2021. Out of these, two cases have been decided by CBI for handing over to State SIT on the grounds of nature of offences, in line with the mandate given in the orders of the Calcutta High Court.
Further, two complaints relating to the same incident of sexual assault were received by CBI which were amalgamated, resulting in the registration of only one regular case for investigation. The remaining cases are in progress.
Several incidents of violence were reported at various places in West Bengal after the announcement of the state Assembly poll results on May 2.
A four-member team deputed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and NHRC's team also visited the violence-affected areas to separately probe the allegations. (ANI)