April 19, 2007

CID seeks forensic help

Jagacha murder probe gathers steam

The CID have sought help from the forensic science experts to solve the mystery shrouding the death of Jayanta Bag, a quack, and his nine-year-old daughter Tiasha at their house near Jagacha in Howrah early this month.

The postmortem report of Jayanta, which indicated foul play behind the death, was also sent to experts for further verification after investigating officers raised doubts about the observation of the surgeon who had conducted the autopsy.

Bag’s wife, Sutapa, was interrogated for three hours after she was discharged from the hospital, but nothing suspicious was found, said Mr P Nirajranjan, special IG (CID).

Local people found Bag and his daughter dead and Sutapa critically injured at their house. Ms Bag had initially told police that they had killed their daughter and then tried to commit suicide by slitting their throats. Dr Harsit Sarkar, an autopsy surgeon of the Howrah state general hospital stated in his report that Jayanta was murdered. A CID probe was later ordered.

The CID officers seized certain articles including a razor, three knifes, a pair of shoes and some papers from Jayanta’s house in Jagacha during the last few days. Some of the seized items have been sent for forensic examination. The special IG (CID) today said that officers raided Jayanta’s house in Jagacha last night and seized a few more articles which would be sent for forensic examination if needed. He also confirmed that Jayanta was a quack and he didn’t have a degree in medical science. Jagachha police station had sent the seized MBBS certificate to Calcutta University for verification. After scrutinizing it, Calcutta University today said that it was a fake one.

University officials pointed out the certificate that was supposedly issued in 1996 bears the signature of Prof, Ashis Banerjee although he was not the vice chancellor of CU at that time. It was also found that the certificate was made after the format changed in 1999.

The special IG said that CID officers, who had spoken to Jayanta’s wife Ms Sutapa Bag for three hours, were verifying her statement. Jayanta’s brother was also interrogated thrice.

Police had found two suicide notes ~ one written by Sutapa and the other by her husband ~ at Jayanta’s house a day after the incident. The couple had stated in the notes that they had decided to kill their daughter and then commit suicide themselves as they had been humiliated by four local youths and a woman. All the accused were later taken into custody, but no foul play on their part could be established.

Filed under Blog, News Today by Ashish Bagla