CCTV grabs of the men who attacked the church in Ranaghat, West Bengal
The Centre has rejected West Bengal government's request for a CBI probe into the rape of 72-year-old nun at Ranaghat in West Bengal nearly two weeks ago. Though no official reason has been cited, sources say the request has been turned down because of imcomplete paper work.
This has given the Opposition enough fuel to attack the Mamata Banerjee government.
"The state government is a laughing stock in the entire country. A proper application was not given. They didn't in their mind want it. They were camouflaging. Probably the politics of setting is continuing. Here I will ask for CBI and you will not give CBI. And there you have given CBI but see that CBI doesn't disturb us. It is basically a political setting of Modi bhai (Narendra Modi) and Didi bhai (Mamata Banerjee)," said CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty.
But the ruling Trinamool Congress accuses the Centre of non-cooperation. "It is not at all an embarrassment for the state government but a sign of the Centre's non co-operation and that should not make them proud. If the Centre refuses co-operation, it is alright but as you know two of the accused whose faces were caught on CCTV have been arrested by state police. It would once again prove that BJP's professed talks about co-operating is incorrect," Trinamool MP Sougata Roy said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was slammed by the locals for no arrests in the case, said on social media on March 19 that CBI was requested to probe the case.
Since then, two men have been arrested for the nun's rape during an attack at a convent school. On Wednesday, the top team of the state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested 40-year-old Mohammed Salim Sheikh in Mumbai and the next day, a man named Gopal Sarkar was arrested from Habra in West Bengal.
The nun needed surgery after she was assaulted on March 14 when a group of at least six men broke into a church and a convent school at Ranaghat, about 100 km from Kolkata. CCTV footage has captured at least six faces.
The attackers locked all the nuns in a room, and dragged one of them, who was then raped. They later robbed about Rs. 2 lakh from the office cupboard and some valuables from the chapel.
In hospital, the nun told those who met her that she had forgiven the man who raped her. She later left the hospital and flew out of West Bengal.