Bengal govt challenges Calcutta HC's twin orders in minor rape-murder case

Kolkata, June 9 The West Bengal government on Friday challenged the twin orders of a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court in connection to the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kaliganj, North Dinajpur district.

The two orders by the High Court's single-judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha have been challenged at the division bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya.

The first order pertains to the formation of a special investigation team to probe the case, while the second is related to Justice Mantha seeking a report from the state's Home Department on the police allegedly refusing to cooperate with the SIT.

Despite a petition was filed at the High Court demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in the matter, Justice Mantha constituted the SIT comprising the-then Special Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Damayanti Sen, retired IG Pankaj Dutta, and retired Joint Director of CBI, Upen Biswas.

Justice Mantha and specifically directed the state police to fully cooperate with the SIT.

Sen has however, been transferred from her current posting to a lesser significant post of additional director general (training) of state police.

Justice Mantha's bench recently received complaints against the state police for not cooperating with the SIT.

Taking strong exceptions, Justice Mantha on Thursday sought a report from the Home Department within seven days.