CBI takes two suspected saboteurs in its custody

Indian railway rescuers search for bodies in the mangled compartment of the derailed train, in Sardiha near West Midnapore district of West Bengal state, about 95 miles west of Calcutta, India, Saturday, May 29, 2010. Railway authorities canceled all night trains in an eastern Indian state Saturday after a passenger express train derailed and was hit by a cargo train, killing at least 115 people and injuring hundreds. The government accused Maoist rebels of sabotaging the tracks. (AP Photo/Samir Mondal)

After formally taking over the investigation in the Jnaneswari Express derailment case from the West Bengal's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the CBI on Friday obtained the custody of two persons held in connection with the case, and other documents, at a Jhargram court in Paschim Medinipur district.

A CBI team visited the accident site near the Sardiha station.

Sources in the CBI said the investigation agency had filed a petition before the additional chief judicial magistrate of Jhargram, seeking the transfer of custody of Khagen Mahato and Samir Mahato from the CID, based on the notification issued by the Union Home Ministry.

The CID had also submitted a petition, stating that it wanted to hand over the all the documents, as well as the custody of the two arrested persons, to the CBI.

The court allowed the CBI to take the two in its custody till June 17.

Both are suspected to be key conspirators in sabotaging the rail track and causing the tragedy on May 28.

While Khagen Mahato is charged with carrying the saboteurs to and from the spot on his pick-up van, Samir Mahato is suspected to be one of those who removed the pandrol clips from the track.

The CBI team also met top officials and police officers at Kharagpur.