03-West Bengal Report.pdf - People's watch

Case Detail:
FF Code : W.B./Mon (Gopen Chandra Sharma)/
Murshidabad/ May-25/05/2007/ SL. No.-59
Victim(s) : 1) Bibrata Sarkar; 2) Sunil Mondal
Perpetrator(s) : 1) Unnamed OC; 2) Somnath Sinha, SI;
3) Utpal Das, SI; 4) Swapan Saha, SI
Location : Sakirerdiarh village, Jalangi PS,
Murshidabad District, West Bengal
Date of incident : 18/04/2007
Victim Bibrata Sarkar, age 30, resides at Narsinghapur village, Sagarpara PO, Jalangi PS. He
works as an agent for a life insurance company. Victim Sunil Mondal resides at Ramnarayanpara
village, Jalangi PS.
On 4 March 2007, some goons recently arrived from Bangladesh tried to take over the field
where Bibrata Sarkar’s brother Subrata Sarkar cultivated brinjal.
On 5 March 2007, Subrata Sarkar returned to his field to find that the goons had stolen brinjal
plants from three khatas of his land.
Subrata Sarkar filed a charge against one of the goons, Paritosh Sarkar. Paritosh Sarkar
responded by scuffling with Subrata Sarkar and Bibrata Sarkar. Both parties lodged complaints
against the other at Jalangi PS.
On 18 April 2007 at 3.30pm, the goons met Bibrata Sarkar while he was returning home with
victim Sunil Mondal after collecting premiums from some clients. The goons beat Bibrata
Sarkar with iron rods and wooden sticks until he was senseless and then stole Rs. 24,800 from
him. Bibrata Sarkar and Sunil Mondal were rescued by passers-by once the goons left.
Bibrata Sarkar went to the Jalangi PS to lodge a complaint, but SI Somnath Sinha did not
register an FIR, instead sending Bibrata Sarkar to Sadikhan’s Dearh Rural Hospital for treatment.
At 7.30pm, Bibrata Sarkar’s brother Subrata Sarkar registered a complaint on his behalf. The
police filed an FIR but did not give Subrata Sarkar a copy. SIs Utpal Das and Swapan Saha
investigated the case, but colluded with the goons and did not take action against them. The
police recovered none of Bibrata Sarkar’s money.
On 19 April 2007, Bibrata Sarkar was discharged from the Hospital.
On 30 April 2007, Bibrata Sarkar lodged a written complaint with the Superintendent of Police
(Berhampore, Murshidabad). No action was taken.
West Bengal
177
Annual Report on Torture
2007