CBI

According to the sources, four companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed for providing security to the CBI teams probing the matter. Out of the four, two companies will be stationed at the CBI office in Kolkata, while the other two will be stationed in the districts affected by post-poll violence. Some of the CRPF personnel will accompany the investigating teams.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, appointed amicus curiae in a 2016 petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction to fast-tracking of criminal trials against sitting and former MPs/MLAs, has filed the report in the top court. He has been assisted by advocate Sneha Kalita in the matter. The oldest pending case is in Patna, where the accused was charge-sheeted on June 12, 2000.

The development comes a day after the Calcutta High Court handed over the investigation of serious crimes such as rape and murder during the post-poll violence in Bemgal to the country's premiere investigating agency, dealing a major blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led government. The HC also formed a three-member team to investigate the lesser criminal offences.

A CBI source told IANS, "Four special investigation units have been constituted to probe the Bengal post-poll violence cases." The source said that there will be six members in each team and each unit will be headed by a joint director level officer. The source also said that the investigating officer will soon visit the state to initiate the probe.

Justice Ramana said: "New trend developed in the country. No freedom given to judges. If judges complain to the IB and CBI, they are not helping the judiciary at all. This is a serious matter. I am saying it with a sense of responsibility." The bench also comprising Justice Surya Kant said in some cases where gangsters and high-profile accused are involved, they attempt to intimate judges physically and mentally.

A DoPT source related to the development told IANS: "A file recommending disciplinary action against Verma has been received from Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and has been sent to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for further action." The Union Home Ministry (MHA) and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked the UPSC to take action against Verma, who was at the epicentre of a controversy in 2018.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said in an order, "Consequent upon the appointment of Rakesh Adthana, IPS, (GJ:84) Director General, BSF, as Commissioner of Police, Delhi, the competent authority has approved that S.S. Deswal, IPS (Hy:84), Director General of ITBP, shall hold the additional charge of post of DF, BSF, vice Asthana, till the appointment and joining of the regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier."

Advocate Amit Sharma, counsel for Mathews, and advocate Kaleeswaram Raj, counsel for another accused, submitted that the Justice D.K. Jain Committee report has not been shared with the accused, and argued that the CBI's refusal to do so is causing prejudice to the accused in availing their statutory remedies. They also contended that the central probe agency is relying on the report in the FIR.

A CBI spokesperson said that the agency carried out searches at the residential and official premises linked to Kaul, his OSD, and others in Srinagar and Dehradun in Uttarakhand and Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The official said that the agency has also got the details of three lockers in different banks. During the searches, several incriminating documents pertaining to the case have been recovered.

A CBI spokesperson said that Kathpal, a 1984 batch IRSME officer who was earlier posted at the ICF Perambur in Chennai, has been arrested on charges of demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 50 lakh. It was also alleged that on the demand of Kathpal, Venugopal had arranged to deliver a sum of Rs 50 lakh as the first instalment of the total bribe amount kept in her custody.