The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Department to investigate the whereabouts of six persons, who have been reported missing from Nandigram since November 10, 2007.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice J. N. Patel and Justice Ashim Kumar Roy, hearing a petition filed by their wives, directed the CID to take over the probe and file a report by November 17, said counsel Rajdeep Majumdar. Earlier, the court directed the Superintendent of Police of Purba Medinipur to file a report on the progress of the investigation. The SP told the court there was no scope for investigating the matter further, counsel said.
According to the petitioners, on November 10, 2007, a political procession of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee was attacked by a group of armed persons. After the attack, 42 persons were reported missing, but over time 33 of them returned home. The wives of six of the nine persons, who are still missing, filed a habeas corpus petition.
The women are apprehensive that their husbands might have been murdered, especially as skeletons were being unearthed.
