Kolkata, August 26, 2025 – In a hard-hitting ruling, the Calcutta High Court rejected a plea for a CBI investigation into the suspected twin deaths in Khejuri and instead transferred the case to a state-level SIT under the Bengal CID. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, presiding over the matter, criticized the reliance on CBI probes by calling them “a gallery show right now”

A Case Shrouded in Contradictions

The case involves the July 12 deaths of 22-year-old Sujit Das and 75-year-old Sudhir Chandra Paik, who died under mysterious circumstances after attending a local cultural event The Times of India. Concerns escalated when the initial autopsy at Tamluk District Hospital attributed Das’s death to electrocution, while a follow-up examination at SSKM Hospital reported blunt-force injuries consistent with homicidal assault.

Justice Ghosh highlighted these discrepancies in post-mortem findings, noting the police’s failure to identify or record witnesses. These inconsistencies led the court to lose confidence in the local investigation conducted by the Khejuri police.

Why Not the CBI?

While the victim’s family requested a CBI probe, the court deemed it unsuitable. Justice Ghosh bluntly remarked, “CBI is a gallery show right now. If I give it to the CBI, it will just be a gallery show” . Instead, he mandated that the case be handed to a SIT led by the Bengal CID to restore credibility and ensure impartiality .

The New Path Forward

The court ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team under the Bengal CID, headed by a Deputy Inspector General. The SIT is tasked with probing the incident thoroughly and must submit its progress report by September 25, at which point the case will be revisited in court.

Legal and Public Implications

This ruling sends a clear message about shifting confidence toward state investigative agencies when local investigations appear compromised. Observers see the court’s statement as a critique of the CBI’s current image and effectiveness, especially in sensitive or high-profile cases.

For the affected families, this marks a crucial step toward transparency and justice, with public trust placed in a state-led probe rather than one viewed as performative. The court’s intervention underscores its pivotal role in ensuring accountable and credible investigations.

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