CID scan on plan to burn baby sale files

TT, Feb. 24: Sources in the CID today said Manash Bhowmik who had been arrested in connection with alleged baby sale racket was planning to destroy the files related to the orphanage run by his sister.

Bhowmik, the brother of Chandana Chakraborty from whose orphanage infants had been illegally sold to childless couples in India and abroad, was arrested yesterday.

"Bhowmik had files related to the NGO, North Bengal People's Development Centre, headed by Chandana. The files show his sister's involvement in child trafficking. After her arrest, he had planned to throw the documents into a water body or burn them. However, while raiding his residence yesterday, we found a bag that contained all these files," an investigator said.

Today, Bhowmik was remanded in 10 days' police custody by the chief judicial magistrate's court in Jalpaiguri.

Showcause

The Cooch Behar district social welfare officer on Friday served a showcause on Kalpana Burman for allegedly running a shelter for girls at Mathabhanga in a miserable condition and abusing officials who came for the inspection of the home. The officer also said the licence of the shelter had expired on March 31 last year.

Kalpana, the wife of Trinamul's Sitalkuchi MLA, said she had the required permission and ran the shelter without government aid.