No action against cops in Rizwanur case: Basu

Kolkata, Oct 12: Contrary to the report of action against two police officers for meddling with the inter-religious marriage of Rizwanur Rehman, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has decided to reserve any punitive measure awaiting the report of the ongoing judicial probe into the mysterious death of the graphic designer.

'' The Chief Minister has told me that no action will be taken against anybody right now till the judicial probe is over. The Calcutta High Court is also likely to give an order shortly on an appeal for a CBI inquiry,'' veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu today said.

While talking to newspersons after coming out of the CPI(M) state secretariat meeting, Mr Basu said the Chief Minister had told him last week about the decision of removing two subordinate police officers.

'' Today when I asked the Chief Minister about the reason of the decision not being carried out, he told me that it had been changed following an advise of the Advocate General. The Chief Minister told me that the report of the judicial probe would be received in three months and many more people might have to be punished,'' Mr Basu said.

Rizwanur, who had married Priyanka, daughter of industrialist Ashok Todi, was found dead beside railway tracks on the northern fringe of the city on September 21 triggering suspicion of a foul play.

The marriage was not accepted by Priyanka's family and Rizwanur was allegedly under a constant threat from police, who asked him to part with his wife.

While Rizwanur's family alleged that the 30-year-old youth had been murdered, Mr Basu apparently lamented that the exact reason of his death had not yet come to light.

'' It is strange that so far we do not know how he has died.

We have heard that he received blow on the back of his head...but the viscera report has not been received yet,'' he said.

Rizwanur's family and a friend, who was a witness to the marriage, also named at least four police officials as being involved in his harassment. All the four, including DC (Headquarters) Gyanwant Singh and DC, DD(1) Ajay Kumar have been interrogated by the state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) which has started a separate probe into the death and the role of police in it.

The two others are Assistant Commissioner of Police Sukanti Chakraborty and Krishnendu Das, a Sub-Inspector of the anti-rowdy section of Kolkata police.

Mr Basu had earlier openly criticised Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee for trying to defend his officers for calling Rizwanur and interrogating him on the basis of a complaint of Priyanka's father despite the fact that both Rizwanur and Priyanka were adults and got married willingly.

The incident, that put police in a bad light for infringing on the basic right of the people and allegedly for having a role behind the tragic end of Rizwanur, evoked huge protests from different sections of society pushing the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Government in a tight spot.

While the opposition Trinamool Congress lapped up the incident to carry out a campaign against the Left Front Government, Rizwanur's family moved the High Court seeking a CBI probe.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister told reporters at the Writers' Building that he was ready to talk to Ms Kishwar Jahan, Rizwanur's mother, and listen to her complaints.

''When I came to know that Rizwanur's mother wants to talk to me, I asked two of my party colleagues to arrange the meeting at my residence on Ocober 10. But, later I learnt from the newspaper that she does not want to talk to me. It is my misfortune that she has changed her mind...but if she wants to meet me , I am still ready, wherever be it,'' he said.

While reports came out in newspapers that Ms Jahan was more interested in talking to Mr Basu than the Chief Minister, the CPI(M) veteran said he too had no qualms in meeting her.

''I felt bad that Rizwanur's mother did not meet the Chief Minister after having expressed willingness to do so. I have learnt that she wants to meet me. She is welcome...but she should meet the Chief Minister,'' Mr Basu said.

UNI