CBI files chargesheet against nine persons in Nadia rape case

The minor girl had allegedly been violated by the accused at his home during a birthday party

Representational image: File Picture

Subhasish Chaudhuri   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |   09.07.22  : The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet against nine persons in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl at Hanshkhali in Nadia on April 4.

The chargesheeted persons include Trinamul leader Samarendra Gayali, who is a member of the party-ruled Gajna gram panchayat, and his son Sohail (alias Brajo) Gayali. The seven others include two minors, who are now being treated as “adults” according to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The nine accused persons have been charged with rape, murder and destruction of evidence among others.

Sohail is the prime accused. He had been arrested along with five of his friends. Anshuman Bagchi, a close aide to Trinamul leader Samarendra, remains elusive. All arrested eight accused persons are in jail custody now.

According to the complaint lodged by the girl’s mother, Anshuman and another accused Parimal Biswas took the body of her daughter to an unauthorised crematorium where they set her on fire. Anshuman fled soon after the CBI was entrusted with the probe. But prior to that, Hanshkhali police had not bothered to summon him or record his statement, said a CBI sleuth.

The CBI filed the 44-page chargesheet before a special Pocso court under the additional chief judicial magistrate of Ranaghat.

The CBI’s probe team was led by inspector Sezam Sherpa.

On April 4, the girl had allegedly been raped by Sohail and his friends at his home during a birthday party. The girl, who was bleeding profusely, returned home and died without treatment the following morning.

A lawyer defending one of the accused said: “There is no specific evidence against most of the accused, including Samarendra and his son. But the CBI has chargesheeted them. It is now the CBI’s turn to prove the charge for which I am eagerly waiting.”

A member of the CBI’s probe team said: “Specific charges have been brought against the accused persons, matching their statements with facts and circumstantial evidence. Nothing has been done with prejudice.… All charges will be proved in the court.”