Calcutta, Feb. 28: The CBI has indicted the erstwhile top brass of Calcutta police for what it termed as Rizwanur Rahman’s suicide, “abetted” by the Todis, in its report to Calcutta High Court.
“The report states that there was abetment to commit suicide and that criminal proceedings should be initiated against the persons responsible for this,” Justice Dipankar Dutta said, revealing a part of it on a day former police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee was due for promotion.
Prasun, since shunted out to telecom, was asked by the court today to file an affidavit explaining his public statement that the police had done their duty by interfering in Rizwanur’s marriage with Priyanka Todi. This statement had caused outrage at the role of the official machinery and blown up the death of the graphic designer into a public issue.
The CBI has held deputy commissioner Ajoy Kumar, assistant commissioner Sukanti Chakraborty and sub-inspector Krishnendu Das guilty of abetting suicide along with Rizwanur’s father-in-law Ashok Todi, his brother Pradip and relative Anil Saraogi and an associate of the Rahman family, Pappu.
Pappu’s role in trying to separate Rizwanur and Priyanka in exchange for money was exposed by The Telegraph. The Todis, who own the Rs 200-crore Lux Hosiery Industries, were against the marriage.
The CBI has sought the court’s permission to start criminal proceedings against all of them under Sections 306 (abetment to commit suicide), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120B (conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and to file chargesheets. The maximum punishment that can be awarded is a life term under 120B.
If the court gives the go-ahead, all the suspects charged under Sections 306 and 120B would have to be arrested as soon as the case is registered because these are cognizable offences.
The Todis’ lawyer, D.N. Mitra, said: “Unless the court takes a decision to act on the report, we cannot say what our next step will be. We will wait for the court to decide on March 12.”
Permission to file the chargesheet is likely to be granted, with Justice Dutta saying: “A prima facie case has been made out for proceeding further against some of the applicants.”
The CBI report has also recommended departmental proceedings against Prasun, who today completed the stipulated years to be eligible for promotion to the rank of director-general. He is an additional director-general at present. A meeting to discuss his elevation ended inconclusively.
“Serious” departmental measures have been recommended against deputy commissioner Gyanwant Singh, officer-in-charge of Karaya police station Swapan Mitra and two sub-inspectors of the same police station, Jayanta Mukherjee and Pulak Dutta.
Justice Dutta directed the state government to file an affidavit by March 12 — when a detailed hearing is scheduled — stating what steps it would take against these officers, and another listing the action it had taken when the Rahmans complained at Karaya police station that senior police officials were illegally interfering in Rizwanur and Priyanka’s marriage.
Home secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray said the government was awaiting the court order and would have to comply with it. But advocate-general Balai Ray said the “question of filing affidavits did not arise”.
“Only a small portion of the report was read out,” Ray said. “We do not know why these charges have been brought against them. That portion of the report has been held back by the judge.”
Rizwanur’s brother Rukbanur, who was present in the court, said: “It is proved that Rizwanur was forced to commit suicide, and not only the Todis, but senior police officials were also responsible for his death.”
But mother Kishwar Jahan said: “I still think he was murdered.”
Rizwanur was found dead on September 21, a month after his marriage.
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