Barasat, Sept. 4: The sub-divisional judicial magistrate here today directed the public prosecutor to frame charges against 11 policemen — one, among them, an officer-in-charge and another an additional superintendent — allegedly involved in “abducting with intention to murder” Partha Majumdar, who is said to have witnessed a fake encounter.

Majumdar was allegedly picked up near his relative’s residence at Habra in 1997 and is still missing.

SDJM Dibyendu Sinha today accepted a CID chargesheet, accusing the policemen of allegedly kidnapping Majumdar, deliberately wiping out evidence and providing false information, while asking public prosecutor Prabodh Roy to frame charges by December 16.

Majumdar’s family has filed an affidavit urging the court to appoint a special public prosecutor, claiming that Roy had “threatened” them and was trying to influence the case.

The CID took up the case at the prodding of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission following a complaint from the family.

Majumdar, a contractor from Belghoria in North 24-Parganas, had gone to attend a religious function at his relative’s house in Habra in September 1997. Here, while he was sipping tea at a roadside stall, he reportedly witnessed the encounter.

“On that day, he saw a police jeep with a few armed policemen enter the locality and chase a local goon coming from the opposite direction. The goon jumped into a pond and Partha saw them firing at him. The goon died and Partha was the sole witness. He was immediately picked up by the police and taken to Habra police station,” said Dipankar Majumdar, Partha’s brother.

Investigation showed Majumdar was admitted under a different name in Barasat hospital with a bullet wound in his leg, his brother claimed.

The local police refused to take a complaint from the Majumdars as they were setting charges against policemen.