Ranaghat, May 3: The Criminal Investigation Department today filed charges against former CPM zonal committee secretary Subol Bagchi and former Ainsmali panchayat pradhan Saidul Karigar and 18 others in connection with the rape and looting of bus passengers at Dhantola in February.

About seven women were raped and fellow passengers — all returning from a wedding — looted by dacoits after midnight on February 6. The driver of one of the buses, Samir Ghosh, was shot dead allegedly by the leader of the gang, Cheema Sardar.

The chargesheet, which includes charges of dacoity, murder, criminal conspiracy, attempting to remove evidence, possession of illegal arms and rape, comes 86 days after the incident.