05-West Bengal.pdf - People's watch

FF Code : W.B. / MON (Aditi Kar)/
District- Kolkata / Feb-19/02/2008/ Sl.No.-113
Victim(s) : 1) Noor Islam Gazi 2) Firdous Gain 3) Saidul Islam
4) Mohammad Saidul Islam 5) Rajaul Karim
Perpetrator(s) : Jail Authorities
Location : Presidency Jail, Kolkata
Date of incident : 28/07/2005 onwards
Case Details:
All the above mentioned victims are citizens of Bangladesh, who were forced to come into India owing
to their poor economic conditions. They engaged in rag picking in different localities of the state. The
victims usually stayed in a temporary shed at Kona High Road Bridge. On 28 th July 2005 the victims
were arrested by Chanditala Police and illegally detained for more than 24 hours. On 31 st July 2005
twelve rag pickers including the above mentioned victims were produced before the ACJM, Serampore
Court, being alleged for assembling for the purpose of committing dacoity. On 7 th August 2006 the victims
were convicted by the 3 rd JM Court, Serampore. The victims were accused under two cases, owing to
which they had to face the Sessions court trail on 16 th May 2007. All the twelve accused victims were
acquitted from the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge of First Track court; but from then
these victims are still confined in the Presidency Jail, Kolkata.
FF Code : W.B./MON (Susmita Roy Chowdhury) /
District-South 24 Parganas/ Jan-30/1/2008 Sl. No – 132
Victim(s) : Patiram Sardar
Perpetrator(s) : 1) Nasim Ahmed Molla 2) Raja Dey 3) Dipankar Das, SI
Location : Canning, West Bengal
Date of incident : 21/01/2008
Case Details:
Victim Patiram Sardar, aged 57, is a resident of Sonakhali, and belongs to the Scheduled Caste
Community. Every year the victim went on a pilgrimage to Ganga Sagar Fair with local pilgrims. During
2008 he arranged a pilgrimage with 100 pilgrims with exchange of Rs.100 each. He contacted Nasir
Ahmed Molla and Raja Dey for a launch, for they were agents of traveling agencies. On 10 th January
2008 the pilgrims set out and waited at Sonakhali Jetty, but the launch never turned out. The pilgrims
grew embarrassed and started agitating. Patiram stationed his sons and went to inquire the matter. He
gained news that the launches didn’t have government permission. Finally the matter was compromised
by Swapan Ghosh who arranged two boats for the pilgrims. It was also decided that the travels would
bear the expense jointly. The pilgrims returned and Patiram went to claim the amount. The expense was
found excessive and Biswajit, a member of the group directed the victim to collect the money from
Canning Police Station, where he had entrusted. The SI of the station, joining hands with the perpetrators
threatened Patiram to be booked under a false case. A BJP member intervened into the matter and
revealed the fact that the SI didn’t carry an arrest warrant. On 21 st January 2008 Krishna Pada Ghosh
was arrested by a false implication, alleging him responsible for all the flirt. Complaints have been send
to the SP, and Human Rights Commission.
West Bengal
462
Annual Report on Torture
2007