12 Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a CID investigation into the theft of around 1.6 lakh primary textbooks from the school inspector's godown at North Dinajpur's Islampur. The theft was reported in Dec 2022.
A division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee (Das) directed the CID ADG to appoint a competent officer and conduct an independent investigation, after police submitted a chargesheet against two contractual employees on duty at the godown. The HC sought a report within 12 weeks.
"Prima facie, there appears to be a larger conspiracy. It requires a deeper and comprehensive probe in the matter," the CJ observed. The division bench, however, didn't allow a change of investigating agency as prayed by the petitioner on the grounds that a chargesheet had already been submitted.
At the same time, the CJ took note of the fact that the chargesheet was registered on Nov 30, 2024, two years after the FIR was lodged.
The bench found cause to order further investigation by CID based on the delay. It directed the North Dinajpur DM and officers of the primary school department to extend cooperation to CID in this matter.
The bench also specified that while CID conducted its probe, the trial court would proceed with the criminal case in which the chargesheet had been submitted.
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