All police commissionerates and district police units across Bengal have been directed to compile data on old complaints related to syndicates, cut money and extortion that were not pursued earlier.
The police directorate issued the instruction on Sunday, asking all units to submit the data to the deputy inspector general of police, State Crime Records Bureau, by Tuesday.
Sources in the state home department said the new government was keen on examining allegations linked to syndicate operations under political patronage, collection of cut money by politicians or public representatives and extortion rackets over the past three to four years that were not investigated because of alleged political interference by the earlier Trinamool government.
The move came a day before chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the formation of a commission to probe complaints of “institutional corruption”.
On Monday, Suvendu announced that the commission would be headed by retired Justice Biswajit Basu. K. Jayaraman, additional director-general of police, north Bengal, will be the member secretary.
Suvendu said the commission would examine complaints related to institutional corruption and was expected to submit recommendations within a month.
Complaints of demanding commissions for government-related work, forcible extraction of cut money, extortion and the influence of construction material syndicates have surfaced repeatedly across Bengal in recent years. While many accused persons were arrested, some allegedly avoided action because of political connections.
“It is a fact that some criminals like Biswajit Poddar, alias Sona Pappu, who were openly running syndicates and extortion rackets, could not be arrested because of political pressure,” a police source said.
In many cases, complaints were allegedly not lodged for fear of repercussions because of the accused persons’ proximity to politicians.
Sources said all police stations had now been instructed to revisit such complaints, including those that were allegedly ignored or deliberately buried.
“It has been instructed to get in touch with the complainants and record their statements so that the cases can be pursued if there is merit,” a Bengal Police officer said.
Poll violence
Sources said Bengal Police had reopened more than 700 cases linked to post-poll violence that were either not registered or later closed citing lack of evidence.
According to police sources, of the 700-odd cases reviewed, 458 involved fresh enquiries into old complaints, 181 led to new FIRs being registered and 59 were cases that had earlier been closed after final reports were submitted because of insufficient supporting evidence.