By IANS
Kolkata : A West Bengal court Friday framed charges against two Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) workers for the rape and murder of Tapasi Malik, whose charred body was found inside the Tata Motors factory site at Singur last year.
Chandernagore First Track Court Magistrate A. Acharya framed the charges against Suhrid Dutta, former CPI-M Singur zonal committee secretary, and Debu Malik and fixed Jan 28 for the trial to begin. Altogether 64 witnesses would be examined in 20 working days during the course of the trial.
Dutta and Malik have been charged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with conspiracy to murder Tapasi Malik, whose body was found Dec 18 inside the fenced off area of Tata Motors small car factory site in Singur, about 40 km from here.
Tapasi, a resident of Bajemelia in Singur, was an active member of the ‘Save Farmland Committee’ that was protesting land acquisition in the area for the Tata Motors’ project. She was allegedly raped and murdered.
Earlier, opposing Dutta’s bail, CBI counsel Partha Tapasyii told the court that both the accused had not been given bail by Calcutta High Court. He said the release of Dutta and Malik from the court could also hamper the ongoing probe.
The CBI presented a well-documented CD to the court which established their involvement in the case.
Around 997 acres in Singur have been chosen by Tata Motors for its small car project. The issue had triggered a violent face-off between the West Bengal government and farmers led by civil society groups and parties like the Trinamul Congress.