Mamata relents, decides to hand over investigation to CBI

She took the decision due to the sensitivity of the case and the proximity of the incident spot to the West Bengal border, the CM said.

File photo shows West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee coming out of a hospital on Monday after meeting the nun who was gang-raped in Nadia district.

Four days after the >rape of a 71-year-old nun at a convent school in West Bengal's Nadia district triggered a nation-wide outrage, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced her decision to hand over the investigation in this matter to the Central  Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the case and also the fact that the place of incidence is very close to border area, I have decided to entrust investigation of the case to CBI,” Ms. Banerjee said on a social networking site.

 

She described the incident at Convent of Jesus and Mary High School on March 14 as a “very serious matter”.

 

Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the case, I have decided to entrust investigation of the case to CBI

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) >March 18, 2015

Police are making their best efforts. Considering the fact that the place is very close to border area I have decided to entrust case to CBI

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) >March 18, 2015

“The police administration was instructed to take swift action to nab the culprits. They are making their best efforts,” Ms Banerjee said, virtually acknowledging State police' failure to nab the miscreants 96 hours after the incident. Even after extracting the photos of the accused from the CCTV footage, the police is still in the dark.

Our Government will provide all necessary co-operation and assistance to the CBI for investigation in this case

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) >March 18, 2015

"We will provide all necessary co-operation and assistance to the CBI for investigation in this case," said the Chief Minister, who doggedly opposed CBI investigation in earlier cases. 

 

Ranaghat incident of 14 March, 2015 is a very serious matter. Police administration was instructed to take swift action to nab the culprits

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) >March 18, 2015

The decision comes after Ms Banerjee herself faced protests during her visit to Ranaghat on Monday. Locals and students of the school had blocked her convoy demanding a probe by the CBI to ensure justice to the victim.