HC seeks progress report from Darjeeling SP on probe into man's death

Annoyed with the lackadaisical investigation in a case involving the death of a man, the Calcutta High Court today directed the police chief of Darjeeling district to submit a progress report in the matter within a week, failing which it might initiate proceedings against the police officers concerned.

Hearing the anticipatory bail plea moved by one of the accused in the case involving the death of one Ajit Singh, a resident of Kishanganj in Bihar, at Siliguri seven months ago, Justice Sanjib Banerjee expressed his annoyance at a police sub-inspector for having allegedly kept the mobile phone of the deceased in his possession.

The matter will again come up for hearing after a week.

Chiding the superintendent of police (SP) of Darjeeling, Justice Banerjee said it was surprising that the higher police authorities had not followed up on the allegation that the sub-inspector had taken away and kept in his possession the deceased's mobile phone, which was a piece of evidence in the case.

The court directed the prosecution to submit a progress report of the investigation within a week, failing which proceedings might be initiated against the police authorities concerned.

Singh, along with three of his friends, had gone to Siliguri for pandal-hopping on the day of Saraswati Puja on January 22.

The next day, his body was found at a spot near the Mahananda bridge in Siliguri with injury marks on it, the lawyer of the deceased's father, Sabir Ahmed, said.

The family of the deceased subsequently filed a police complaint, on the basis of which a murder case was lodged.

Dipak Kumar Sau, one of the friends who had accompanied the deceased on the fateful day, had moved the anticipatory bail plea before the high court.

During the hearing of the plea, it was brought to the notice of the court that the mobile phone of the deceased was taken away by a sub-inspector and was not deposited as evidence.

Dissatisfied with the lackadaisical investigation, Justice Banerjee had on Friday directed the Darjeeling SP to appear before his court today.