Calcutta HC admits petition demanding NIA probe in firecracker factory case

Kolkata, May 17 (IANS) A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday admitted a petition filed by Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari for an NIA probe into the blast at a firecracker factory in East Midnapore district that killed nine people.

The division bench comprised Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya.

The owner of the factory, Krishnapada Bag, a.k.a Bhanu, a former panchayat member of the ruling Trinamool Congress, is currently absconding.

Adhikari's counsel had made a plea for a hearing in the matter on a fast-track- basis.

The matter in all probability will come up for hearing on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police, which is investigating the case, has already arrested two persons in connection.

The arrested persons have been identified as Tapan Debnath and Debsundar Jana.

State police sources said that the arrested duo were mainly responsible for arranging ingredients for firecracker manufacturing at the factory in Egra.

The state governor has already issued a show-cause notice to the inspector-in-charge of Egra Police Station Mousam Chakraborty.

Meanwhile, some local people have informed the police and the medi persons that the owner Bhanu escaped on a motorcycle immediately after the blast on Tuesday afternoon.

He was also in injured and bleeding at the time of his escape, witnesses have said.

Police suspect that he had escaped to Odisha, the borders of which with West Bengal is hardly three kilometers from the spot of the explosion.

Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that besides West Bengal, Bhanu was also involved in the firecracker business in Odisha and Bangladesh.

She has already announced a compensation of Rs 2,50,000 for the families of those killed and Rs 1,00,000 for those injured in the blast.

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