Kakdwip, 17 September (H.S.): The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed a chargesheet in the eight-year-old Budhakhali double-death case involving CPI(M) worker Debaprasad Das and his wife Usharani Das, with investigators alleging that the couple were deliberately killed by setting their house on fire.

The incident took place on the eve of the 2018 Panchayat elections in Budhakhali, under Kakdwip. Debaprasad Das and Usharani Das died after sustaining severe burn injuries at their residence. The family had subsequently alleged that the deaths were the result of a planned attack rather than an accidental fire.

According to the SIT's chargesheet, the couple were allegedly first attacked with blunt weapons and were subsequently doused with kerosene before their house was set on fire. The investigators have claimed that the fire resulted in the deaths of both victims and also destroyed evidence at the scene.

The chargesheet names 10 accused, including Amit Mondal, a former Trinamool Congress member of Budhakhali gram panchayat. The other accused named in the chargesheet are Ashok Mondal, Chandan Giri, Meghnath Dakuwa, Madhab Kandar, Nikunja Naskar, Shivaprasad Mondal, Gokul Jana, Narayanchandra Pati and Sheikh Manirul.

The investigation has reportedly relied significantly on mobile phone call detail records (CDRs) and tower-location data. The SIT has claimed that analysis of the phone records showed frequent communication among some of the accused around the period of the incident.

The investigators have also disputed the claims of some accused that they were not present near the crime scene. According to the chargesheet, tower-location data did not corroborate those claims. The SIT has said that the CDRs, location data and other evidence were examined together while reconstructing the sequence of events.

The case had earlier generated political controversy, with the CPI(M) alleging that the couple had been killed by members of the ruling party. The Trinamool Congress had rejected such allegations. At the time, police had described the deaths as resulting from a fire, while the subsequent legal proceedings led to the constitution of an SIT for a fresh investigation.

Debaprasad Das's son, Dipankar Das, has welcomed the fresh investigation and said he was seeking justice for his parents. He alleged that the accused were linked to the then ruling party and expressed confidence that those responsible would be brought to justice.

However, the allegations against the 10 accused have not been judicially established. They will be presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

The filing of the SIT chargesheet marks a significant development in the case, nearly eight years after the deaths. The next steps will depend on the judicial proceedings and the evidence presented before the court.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey