In a major development to the suspicious death of Morikolong sub-inspector (SI) Junmoni Rabha, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh to visit the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi on Monday.
As per reports, the DGP will be visiting the national capital to discuss the premier investigating police agency taking over SI Junmoni Rabha’s death case from CID Assam.
Speaking to the media, Assam DGP GP Singh said, “On the directions of the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma, I will be visiting the CBI office on Monday. We will hold talks with top CBI officials in New Delhi. Hopefully, SI Junmoni Rabha’s death case will be transferred to CBI after the discussions.”
Notably, the CBI can suo-moto take up investigation of offences only in the Union Territories. However, the Central Government can authorize CBI to investigate a crime in a state but only with the consent of the concerned State Government.
Other than that, the Supreme Court and High Courts can also order CBI to investigate a crime anywhere in the country without the consent of the State.
Earlier on May 20, Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh had officially stated that after reviewing every angle related to the case and after discussions with the CID Assam and senior police officers of Assam police headquarters has recommended the Assam government to transfer of investigations of all the four cases that been registered in Assam’s Nagaon and Lakhimpur districts to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In addition to that, after discussions with Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Assam police had also decided that all the police officers connected to the above-mentioned districts shall be transferred.
Addressing the press conference here in Guwahati, DGP GP Singh said, “I also want to put it on record that this decision of mine to transfer the investigation to CBI has been taken on two grounds. One the public sentiments, their desires and demands to transfer the cases to CBI and secondly, one of our own officer has lost her life, it is deemed appropriate that the case is investigated by a neutral agency. However, having seen the investigation by CID Assam in last three days, I would also like to say that this decision of mine doesn’t in any way question the professional capability of CID Assam. I have great regard for the capability that CID Assam has displayed during the last few years and all the cases that have been entrusted to CID Assam in last few years have been investigated and taken into logical conclusion. However, I reiterate that I have taken the decision to transfer the cases to CBI for the sake of public sentiment and neutrality.”
The top cop had also informed that the Assam police has decided to recommend the state government to transfer of all the four cases including the case (Nagaon PS case vide no. 443/23) which was investigated by SI Rabha to CBI. The case was registered on May 5, 2023.
The other case that has been registered in connection to the suspicious death of SI Rabha are Lakhimpur PS case (183/23) on May 15, 2023. Similarly, two more cases were registered in Jakhalabandha PS (84/23) on May 16 and (87/23) on May 19, 2023, informed the DGP further.
