Calcutta HC orders second post mortem, submission of SIT report on student leader's death in 2 weeks

KOLKATA: Calcutta High Court on Thursday ordered a second post mortem of student leader Anis Khan and the submission of the progress report of the special investigation team in his death within two weeks. It directed the district judge of Howrah to supervise the second post mortem of Khan's body.

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, who had ordered that the issue of Khan's death be taken up as a suo motu petition of the court, also directed that the district judge will take custody of Khan's mobile phone for the purpose of investigation. The family members of the former Aliah University alumnus have been demanding a CBI investigation into his death and refused to hand over the phone to the SIT, saying that they will give it only to the central probe agency.

Also read | JNUSU holds protest against Bengal govt over 'laxity' in handling Anish Khan death case

The judge directed the SIT to submit a progress report to it by the next date of hearing, which would be two weeks hence. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had on Monday ordered the formation of the SIT into the death and asked it to file a report to her within 15 days. Alleging that Khan was murdered, senior advocate Bikash Bhattacharya had claimed before the court that he had been brutally assaulted by four persons, of whom one was in police uniform and the other three in civic police dress. He claimed that the student leader had been thrown out from the second floor of his home at Amta in Howrah district on the night of February 19. Bhattacharya claimed that the killing of Anis Khan, a social activist, was a "premeditated murder" and prayed to the court that an independent investigation be ordered into it.

Also read | WBBSE Madhyamik Exam 2022: West Bengal board Class 10 admit card out

The police had denied sending any team to Khan's residence in Amta area and the SIT has so far arrested a civic volunteer and a homeguard in connection with the case. The state government submitted that the investigation being conducted by the SIT headed by ADG (CID) Gyanwant Singh will hold a fair probe. The high court had on Monday taken suo motu cognisance of the alleged murder of Khan. The matter was mentioned by a lawyer expressing extreme urgency and prayer was made before the court for initiating a suo motu petition.