Bengal govt to provide necessary support to CBI probing cases in north Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 23 (IANS) The West Bengal government has finally assured the Calcutta High Court of extending necessary cooperation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in terms of necessary infrastructure and manpower support for the cases being probed by the central agency in the northern sector of the state.

A senior official of the state secretariat said that a communique in this regard has been sent from the office of Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi to the high court’s single-judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay on Friday.

The support will be in the form of providing space for office and accommodation for the CBI officials while they will be in north Bengal for the purpose of investigation.

However, the state government has sought two months’ time for arranging space for office and accommodation for the central agency officials.

At the same time, the official said the state government will also make transport arrangements for the central agency officials during their course of investigation in north Bengal.

If necessary, the state government will also provide manpower support to the investigating team of the central agency

However, the assurance from the state government did not come as easily as said.

The order for providing necessary support and cooperation to the CBI was given by Justice Gangopadhyay in October this year. However, earlier this week, the CBI counsel had complained to his court that till date, the investigating officials were yet to receive the slightest support from the state government.

Thereafter, Justice Gangopadhhay had sought an explanation from the Chief Secretary about the state government’s stand in this matter.

Finally on Friday, the communication came from the state government about extending all necessary cooperation to the CBI in this matter.

With regard to CBI’s requisition for 10 persons from the state government, the latter has assured that eight will be sent on deposition within the next seven days and the remaining two will be sent soon.

–IANS

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