The investigating officers of rape cases probing the incidents that took place in Deganga, Matia, Englishbazar and Bansdroni in the recent past met IPS officer Damayanti Sen at the Calcutta police headquarters in Lalbazar on Sunday afternoon to share the progress of their investigations.

Sen, special commissioner-II of the city police, has been asked by Calcutta High Court to supervise the investigation of the four rape cases, three of which fall under the jurisdiction of Bengal police.

Officers of the ranks of inspectors, SDPO, additional superintendents from district police of Malda, North 24-Parganas, Nadia and Bansdroni police station related to the probes of their respective cases, came to Lalbazar around 4pm and shared their progress report with Sen, who had earlier served as the crime chief of the Calcutta police.

Earlier this week, the court asked her to supervise the probe of four rape cases and file a report on their progress by April 20, following four public interest litigations by the families of the victims who had expressed their mistrust in the ongoing police probes.

Sources in Lalbazar said that as a senior police officer experienced in handling several sensitive cases, Sen was entrusted to guide the progress of the probes.

“Even if there have been arrests in the cases, it is vital to do the paperwork properly that could lead to a watertight chargesheet and conviction at the later stage. The case diary has to be maintained properly and there should be accurate documentation of witness statements which are crucial for the investigation. Proper supervision can take a case to a logical conclusion,” said a senior officer not attached with any of these cases.

Sen’s job as the investigator of the rape of a 37-year-old woman inside a moving car on Park Street in 2012 during her tenure as joint commissioner (crime) of Calcutta police had established her as an ace investigator of crimes against women.