CBI frames charges against 19 people, including Paresh Pal & Swapan Samaddar, in Abhijit Sarkar murder case

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday formally framed charges against 19 individuals, including former Beliaghata MLA Paresh Pal and former Kolkata Municipal Corporation councilor Swapan Samaddar, in connection with the gruesome murder of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar. The decisive legal step marks a significant advancement in the landmark 2021 post-poll violence case, which has been under intense judicial oversight for over five years. The formal indictment brings a long-awaited development for the family of the deceased Kankurgachi-based leader, who was brutally tortured and killed shortly after the assembly election results were declared.

The criminal investigation was initially launched by the Narkeldanga police station, which filed an initial charge sheet identifying 15 individuals. Following instructions from the Calcutta High Court due to systemic concerns over local administrative bias, the CBI took over the probe and subsequently submitted an additional supplementary charge sheet that expanded the total pool of accused to 20 individuals, including councilor Papiya Ghosh. The central agency's comprehensive investigation previously exposed severe institutional complicity, leading to the arrest of the then-operating Officer-in-Charge (OC) and a sub-inspector of the local police station for failing to intervene during the fatal mob attack.

During prior bail hearings for the implicated law enforcement personnel, the judiciary explicitly questioned police accountability, noting the societal damage that occurs when institutional protectors turn into predators. While the lengthy investigation had previously drawn deep frustration from the victim's family, the framing of criminal charges on Wednesday introduces a formal trial phase under strict statutory laws. The political landscape has shifted following the formation of the new state government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who reiterated his administration's legislative commitment to ensuring that no perpetrators of post-election atrocities evade judicial retribution.