CBI takes charge,CID nabs another key suspect

Interestingly,Samir’s defense counsel Kaushik Sinha said that Samir had been arrested from his shop in Jhargram on June 1 and kept in custody at the Jhargram police station.

A senior CID officer,however,said: “By intercepting calls between the PCAPA cadres,we came to know about the involvement of Samir. After we arrested Khagen Mahato,he had revealed Samir’s name. Samir guarded the railway tracks while other “saboteurs” unhooked the pendrol clips from the rails.”

According to sources,30-year-old Samir,used to run a paan-shop in the village. However,for the last couple of years his business was not doing well due to the Maoist atrocities in the area. He then started writing posters and banners to earn his living. Soon,Maoists picked him up to write the posters for them. He was also made a member of the PCAPA,said an officer.

The CID,however,will not be able to interrogate Samir as the case has been handed over to the CBI today.

“We cannot divulge Samir’s involvement now,as the case is not with us anymore. The CBI will interrogate him,” said Niraj Pandey,Inspector General,CID. The CBI team,which came from Delhi,had been waiting for the last three days for the formalities to be over.

The state CID officials,however,maintained that the case has already been cracked with the arrest of two alleged conspirators.

“It is sheer politics. We worked hard to crack the case. We have made our reports and identified the persons who were involved in the case. We arrested people and prepared files on the findings. Now we have to give all evidences to the CBI. They will complete the case with our findings and when they go to arrest the culprits,our police will accompany them. But the investigation will be officially completed by the CBI,” rued a senior police officer pleading anonymity.

“We will hand over the files of our findings and the the persons we arrested to the CBI when the CBI team comes to us,” said Raj Kanojia,Additional Director General of Police,CID.

Meanwhile,a CID vehicle toppled on the road near Khemashuli in West Midnapore. The CID vehicle was carrying PCAPA leader Prashanto Mahato and four CID officers. One of the officers was critically injured in the incident,said Superintendent of Police,West Midnapore,Manoj Verma. All the officers have been admitted in Jhargram hospital. The vehicle carrying Samir was following the one that toppled.