New Delhi: Continuing its probe in the Nandigram massacre of people on March 14, the CBI has registered four fresh cases against local CPI(M) leaders and police officials for allegedly raping women and holding them hostages.
CBI officials said one of the cases relates to rape of a mother and her two daughters allegedly by CPI(M) leaders of Nandigram around March 14.
The FIR alleged a local CPM leader, along with his supporters, forced their way into a house in Nandigram area in a drunken state and raped a woman and her two daughters for two days.
The alleged perpetrators then laid a seize around the house and demanded money from the victims for lifting the same.
It was only after the hapless family paid Rs 1000, the seize was lifted, the CBI alleged. Moreover, the local leader had handed over poison as medicine to the daughters who were complaining of medical ailment.
Another case pertains to a police official who had not taken cognizance of a victim who alleged rape by hooligans on the intervening night of March 14 and 15.
The two other cases were registered against unnamed people who on a rape and looting spree on the day of police firing on March 14, which CBI alleged before the Calcutta High Court that CPI(M) workers were dressed in Khaki and had fired at protestors.
The cases were earlier registered by West Bengal police and would now be investigated by the CBI, that is going into March 14 firing incident that left 14 people dead and 70 others injured.
The CBI, which has been given a two months to give its final report by the High Court, had alleged in its status report that witnesses were being threatened by CPI(M) workers for deposing before the investigating agency.
The CBI alleged a witness who had recorded his statement before it was beaten up mercilessly by marxist workers. The CBI report also named some witnesses who claimed before the agency that some CPI(M )workers were seen in police uniform firing at protestors.
In an observation that may cast doubts over the conduct of West Bengal police, CBI said there was no evidence available so far that mob had thrown petrol bombs at the police when it entered Nandigram area on March 14. The CBI also named some of the witnesses who had also supported the claim of the agency.
The CBI also sought to puncture the claim of police that only 57 rounds were fired and informed the Calcutta High Court that "the total number of injuries on the bodies of victims appear indicate that more rounds were fired than the number claimed by the police."
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