Bhattacharjee sticks to CID probe into Rizwanur case

Kolkata, Oct 11 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today virtually set aside the demand for a CBI probe into the mysterious death of Rizwanur Rehman, but assured that action would be taken against whoever found guilty.

The Chief Minister, who met a delegation of Muslim leaders at the state Secretariat, also reportedly did not complied with the demand for removal of the police officers, including city Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee, for the alleged pressure on Rizwanur to part with his wife Priyanka Todi, the daughter of an industrialist.

"We told the chief minister that we have no confidence in the CID which is investigating the case and demanded a CBI enquiry. He said that he saw no difference between the CBI and the CID," Jamiat-E-Ulem-e-Hind state General Secretary Siddiqulla Chowdhury told reporters.

The Chief Minister also told the meeting that there was no question of removing the Police Commissioner and the two Deputy Commissioners--Mr.Gyanwant Singh and Mr.Ajai Kumar, Mr.Chowdhury claimed.

"We demanded their removal till the inquiries were over, but the CM said no, they will appear before the investigating agency whenever called. He said even he would go to the investigating agency if called," Mr. Chowdhury said.

He said the Chief Minister also ruled out the demand of the Muslim leaders to appoint a sitting judge for the judicial enquiry into the case. "He said, a judge is a judge and the law will take its own course".

However, CPI(M) MP Mohammad Selim, who was present at the two-hour-long meeting, said never did the Chief Minister rule out anything.

"He appealed to the Muslim leaders to have faith in the Government and assured that justice would be ensured. He also promised that action would be taken if anybody was found responsible for Rizwanur's death," Mr.Selim said.

The Chief Minister also reportedly told them that he did not believe that the police officers in question would be able to influence the ongoing investigation, Mr.Selim said.

UNI