Kolkata, July 1: A special CBI court in Kolkata on Wednesday framed charges against 19 accused, including former Trinamool Congress MLA Pares Paul and former Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) councillor Swapan Samaddar, in connection with the murder of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar during the post-poll violence that followed the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.
The charge-framing process was completed against 19 individuals, including former Beliaghata MLA Pares Paul and ex-KMC councillor Swapan Samaddar. Both leaders had been questioned multiple times by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during the course of the probe.
Abhijit Sarkar, a BJP worker from the Kankurgachi area in North Kolkata, was allegedly killed by Trinamool Congress activists after the results of the 2021 Assembly elections were announced. His family alleged that he was brutally assaulted and murdered during the violence that erupted across several parts of the state.
Following a complaint lodged by Sarkar’s family, the Narkeldanga Police Station initiated an investigation and filed an initial chargesheet against 15 individuals.
The Calcutta High Court later transferred the investigation to the CBI. During its probe, the central agency filed a supplementary chargesheet naming a total of 20 accused. It also arrested the then Officer-in-Charge and a woman Sub-Inspector of Kankurgachi Police Station in connection with the case.
During the bail proceedings, the court had questioned how society could function if those entrusted with protecting the law were themselves accused of participating in criminal acts. Sarkar’s family had also expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the CBI investigation.
Following the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that no individual involved in cases related to the 2021 post-poll violence would be spared.
With the framing of charges now complete, the case is set to proceed to the trial stage before the special CBI court.
