The special investigation team (SIT) constituted by Calcutta High Court, and the CID, which were assigned the task to monitor and investigate cases of post-poll violence and other incidents, filed separate reports before the high court on Monday.

The reports were filed before the division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj on Monday.

The SIT had been asked to look into rape and murder cases. In its 698-page report, the SIT stated the allegation of 64 cases of rapes were reported in which 39 cases had been lodged. Of these, 24 cases were closed while investigation was on in four other cases. Probe is pending in the rest.

On murders, 51 cases had been lodged and investigation is on in 38 cases while chargesheets have been filed in 10 cases.

Three cases have been transferred to the CID. The CID had been asked to look into cases apart from rape and murder. In its report, the CID stated that 698 cases of violence and arson were lodged of which 573 have been closed where chargesheets have also been filed.

Investigation is going on in 10 cases. Reports in the rest of the cases will be placed before the court later.

The division bench headed by former Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal had constituted the SIT and asked it to probe into alleged incidents of rapes and murders after the publication of results of state Assembly elections last year.

The court had taken the decision on the basis of recommendations made by a committee formed by the National Human Rights Commission.

The court ordered the CID to probe other cases of violence, torture and arson after the poll results.

The case will be taken up for hearing on January 24.

Court proceedings

Chief Justice Prakash Srivastava on Saturday had issued a notification announcing that from January 3 onward only virtual hearing of cases would take place and lawyers would not be allowed to appear physically.

But on Monday many lawyers and some of the judges were seen conducting proceedings physically in courtrooms.

In the morning, a letter was issued by Biswabrata Basu, general secretary of High Court Lawyers’ Association, asking the Chief Justice not to give effect to the notification he had issued on Sunday till the association took a decision in this regard.

The association requested the Chief Justice to allow both types of hearing — physically and virtually — and allow willing lawyers to take part in physical hearings.

The association secretary claimed that a large number of association members were yet to get accustomed with virtual hearing of the cases and needed training.

The association also spoke against the “discriminatory” decision of allowing only some lawyers to attend to cases physically.