A supplementary charge sheet filed in a 2010 case of triple murder has named BJP leader Mukul Roy.
Mr. Roy has described the inclusion of his name in the chargesheet as “an act of political vendetta”. Manirul Islam, BJP leader in Birbhum district, has also been named as an accused. Mr. Roy was instrumental in inducting him into the BJP.
The supplementary chargesheet was filed after the Calcutta High Court asked the police to re-investigate the case in September.
Former Forward Bloc leader and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Islam, a close aide of Mr Roy, was recently inducted in the BJP. Mr Roy was instrumental in inducting Mr Islam, a decision which was severely criticized by a powerful section within Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the BJP.
In June 2010, the brothers — Koton Sheikh, Dhanu Sheikh and Turuk Sheikh of Birbhum — were allegedly killed by Mr. Islam in a sand mining dispute. In fact, Mr Islam once said in a public rally that he “squashed the brothers under his feet.” Mr Islam is known for publicly threatening his political opposition and threatened to “behead” a local Congress leader as well.
Despite his past, Mr Islam was acquitted earlier by the lower court in the case. A fresh appeal was eventually filed by one of deceased’s brother to reopen the case and in September of 2019 the High Court instructed the police to re-investigate the case. TMC’s secretary general, Partha Chatterjee said that his party has “nothing much to add [as] administration is doing its job.” The family of the deceased, particularly the mother of the murdered men, Zarina Biwi, welcomed court’s decision.