West Bengal Police has registered a murder case against officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after an accused in the Birbhum case of violence allegedly died by suicide in CBI custody.
Lalon Sheikh, a prime accused in Bogtui violence, was found hanging on Monday in the washroom of the central agency’s camp office set up in a guest house, with CBI officials claiming that he died by suicide.
Sheikh's wife claimed that the CBI had threatened to kill her husband and demanded an amount of Rs 50 lakh to have his name cleared in the case.
The central agency, however, rejected the allegations as "baseless".
According to the FIR filed, the police have accused a few officials from the central agency of "murder". However, it is likely that CBI would be challenging the case in the Calcutta High Court.
On December 4, Sheikh, was arrested from Jharkhand, eight months after the violence that claimed several lives including women and children. He was then kept under temporary arrest.
Sheikh had led a mob that set homes on fire in Bogtui leading to the death of 10 people. The carnage was carried out following the murder of TMC leader Badru Sheikh.
At least 10 people were killed in arson and violence that followed the murder of local Trinamool Congress leader Bhadu Sheikh on March 21 this year. The CBI is investigating the case on the orders of the Calcutta High Court
