CM orders judicial inquiry into Rizwanur's death

Kolkata, Sep 27 (UNI) With the controversy over the mysterious death of Rizwanur Rehman mounting high, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident that whipped up allegation of a foul play involving few high police officials.

''After having heard versions of the case from the Government and political levels and also from a cross-section of people, I have decided to order a judicial inquiry,'' the Chief Minister said at the state Secretariat.

The judicial probe would be conducted by retired High Court judge Aloke Chakraborty.

Mr Bhattacharjee said there was no question of shielding any police official.

''The incident has disturbed many minds, raised several questions and has several dimensions to it, which include money power as well as communal angle. I believe a judicial inquiry will reveal if anybody is responsible for the death,'' the Chief Minister said.

On Tuesday last the Chief Minister had announced a CID inquiry into the death of Rizwan, whose inter-religious marriage to an industrialist's daughter led to family furore and a tragic end.

However, the order for the judicial inquiry came a day after Rizwan's uncle alleged at a Trinamool Congress rally that few Left leaders had asked the bereaved family to keep mum in lieu of money.

The body of Rizwan, a graphic designer, was found beside railway tracks on the northern fringe of the city on September 21, three weeks after he married Priyanka, the industrialist's daughter against the wishes of her parents.

It was alleged by Rizwan's family and his friends that the 30-year-old had been murdered and efforts were on in connivance with police to hush up the case.

The incident took place days after Priyanka, who had been residing with him for more than three weeks, was taken back home by her relatives with an undertaking before police that she would be returned in seven days.

However, Rizwan's wife was not allegedly allowed to reunite with her husband.

Rizwan's family also alleged that the couple had been under tremendous pressure from the industrialist and his men ever since the marriage on August 31. Feeling unsafe, they sought police protection, which allegedly went abegging.

On the contrary, inspite of the fact that both of them were adult and got into the marriage with mutual consent, the couple was summoned to the city police headquarters following a case of kidnapping filed by Priyanka's father, Ashok Todi, they alleged.

With Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and other opposition leaders voicing for a CBI probe, the campaign against the Government and the police administration had reached a crescendo.

Even Left Front Chairman Biman Basu admitted yesterday that Rizwan could have been harassed and that an impartial probe was necessary.

His death, described by police as a prima facie case of suicide, triggered violence in the city's Park Circus area on September 22 as local residents blocked all roads and clashed with police hurling at them stones and lighting up a police vehicle.

Meanwhile, city police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee drew flak from political circles and the media for discounting the allegations against police and describing it as a case of suicide.

UNI