A day before the 14th anniversary of the murder of anti-rape crusader and schoolteacher Barun Biswas of Sutia, North 24-Parganas, his siblings on Saturday sought a fresh investigation into the case, meeting chief minister Suvendu Adhikari at his Janata Darbar and urging him to reopen the probe to examine the alleged role of former state minister Jyotipriya Mallick in the conspiracy.
Barun, 39, a Bengali literature teacher at Mitra Institution in Calcutta and a social activist, was shot dead from behind on July 5, 2012, near the Gobardanga railway station parking area. His murder sent shockwaves across Bengal, as he had emerged as the face of a citizens' movement against organised crimes in Sutia, particularly sexual violence.
Between the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Sutia belt witnessed a reign of terror allegedly orchestrated by a criminal gang led by Sushanta Choudhury. More than 33 documented gang rapes and over a dozen murders were allegedly committed to silence villagers.
A defiant Barun co-founded the Sutia Gonodhorshon Pratibad Mancha (Sutia Anti-Gang Rape Protest Forum), mobilising residents against the perpetrators. His campaign earned widespread recognition but also allegedly the wrath of influential people.
On Saturday, his elder brother Asit Biswas and sister Pramila Roy Biswas met Suvendu with a written appeal seeking a fresh special investigation team (SIT) supervised by a retired Calcutta High Court judge, alleging the probe so far had failed to uncover the actual conspiracy.
"We have only one demand for the chief minister — a proper investigation into Barun's murder. There has been a farce in the name of investigation. We want a fresh probe and a proper trial. If possible, an SIT supervised by a retired high court judge should be formed. Only then will a genuine probe happen," Asit said.
Alleging political patronage behind the murder, he claimed: "Not only Bengal, but people across India know that the mastermind was the then food minister Jyotipriya Mallick. Under his leadership, at least 100 to 150 people were involved in Barun's murder."
Pramila said Suvendu gave them a patient hearing and assured them that their plea would be considered. "We have waited for 14 years. Let us see what happens now. We are ready to cooperate fully with the probe," she said.
Launching a scathing attack on the previous Trinamool government, she alleged: "Today people understand why Barun was killed. If goons and murderers run a state, Barun can have never received justice."
She alleged that since her brother's murder, his family had faced intimidation. "The family that lost one of its members has been living under constant insecurity. We hope justice will finally arrive," she said.
According to the family, nine persons were arrested in connection with the murder, of whom one died in jail while the others are out on bail. The trial has been pending for over a decade and public prosecutors repeatedly changed during the Trinamool regime, they alleged. Despite their pleas, the probe never examined the role of the "principal conspirators", they claimed.
Asit alleged that crucial evidence was destroyed during probe. "In the last 14 years, the CID has destroyed a lot of evidence, which we told the chief minister. He has assured us that an investigation team will be formed and asked us to cooperate by producing whatever evidence we had," he said.
Local residents and many shop owners near Gobardanga station, who had seen Barun lying in a pool of blood, welcomed Suvendu's pledge to reopen the case. "The entire Sutia region will be grateful to our chief minister if he can really deliver justice," said Aveek Dhar, a Gobardanga resident.