West Bengal nun rape: Why CBI probe was rejected

The Centre and the West Bengal government have been at loggerheads over various issues. Will the Centre rejecting a CBI probe into the nun rape case after the West Bengal government had requested for one blow into another battle between the Centre and the West Bengal government? [Ghar Wapsi statement goes missing on Trinamool's website]

Unlikely. The Centre in fact felt that the CID is doing a good job in the nun rape case and sending the CBI at this juncture would only jeopardise the probe. A home ministry official informed Oneindia that the CID was doing a very good job and hence it decided not to send the CBI to West Bengal to probe the case.

The CBI would have broken momentum:

After a very slow start, the CID investigations picked up speed in the past couple of days. Two major arrests in one day has put the CID on the right track and there is information trickling in at lightening speed.

Roping in the CBI at this juncture would mean the CID would have to stop probing the case. There would be a gap of at least a week until the CBI takes over the probe.

Once the CBI comes into the picture, it would have to first register a fresh case, then obtain records before it starts probing the case. In the nun rape case, the CID is chasing accused who may have even left the country or are trying to flee from India. The interim period of the CBI taking over the probe could prove fatal to the investigation as it would give the accused ample time to the accused to plan their next move.

CBI can come into the picture if there is a road block:

At the moment the CID appears to be probing the case in the right speed. However if during the course of the probe, if it realizes that there are too many ramifications which are either inter state or inter country, then it could request for assistance from the CBI.

Home Ministry officials say that the CID would always get the assistance of the central agencies like the Intelligence Bureau or the CBI if the need be. If the CID finds that some of the accused have fled the country, then the CBI would come into the picture to coordinate with the Interpol and also issued a red alert.

West Bengal still does not know the reasons:

However in the West Bengal establishment, the actual reasons for the rejection of a CBI probe are not known. The letter rejecting the probe was faxed to them with no real explanation given.

CID officials when contacted said that they were not given the reason. However the officers said that they will continue with the probe and are getting leads in the case which is the only thing that matters now. If the need of the central agencies is needed we can always take their assistance the officer also added.