The Kolkata High Court has granted seven days interim bail to Anarul Hossein, one of the key accused in Bogtui murder case for his daughter’s marriage ceremony on Tuesday.
He was arrested by the CBI for the Bogtui massacre in Birbhum district, in which 10 people were charred to death in 2022.
Anarul Hossein was the former Bogtui No. 1 block president of Trinamul Congress. On 24 November, his daughter is getting married and he had appealed to the division Bench, headed by Justice Arijit Banerjee to release him on interim bail for attending the marriage ceremony. Bhadu Sheikh was the protege of Anarul Hossein.
The division Bench has granted today seven days interim bail on humanitarian grounds. He will be allowed to stay in his house, and can’t roam outside and police will be posted in his house. After the marriage ceremony is over he will surrender before the police station again.
On 21 March, 2022 evening, Bhadu Shiekh, the deputy pradhan of Bagtui gram panchayat was killed by his rival group after hurling bombs and firing at him from close range near Bogtui village on NH-14. Immediately after his murder, Anarul Islam had allegedly directed the supporters of Bhadu Sheikh to torch the houses of his rival group’s families in Bogtui village.
In the night-long loot and arson, about 10 people were killed. The attackers purchased petrol from a nearby pump and carried it on a toto and then sprayed it in the houses, locking the door from outside and setting them ablaze. CM Mamata Banerjee rushed to Bogtui village and on her directives to DGP the first arrest was made.
She had formed a special investigation group to probe the case and later also provided jobs and compensations to the next of kin of the deceased.
Anarul Hossein allegedly talked with the local police station over phone for long hours and prevented them from saving the affected families and fire brigade personnel on that night.
The Kolkata High Court had directed a CBI probe into the incident. Meanwhile, one of key accused Lalan Sheikh was killed during interrogations at the CBI custody in its temporary camp office in Birbhum. CID is investigating that case on high court orders.