Kolkata, May 18 (IANS). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of West Bengal on Monday announced the formation of two separate inquiry commissions. Both these commissions will be headed by retired judges of Calcutta High Court and will investigate cases of institutional corruption and crimes against women.
The decision was taken in the second meeting of the new cabinet held earlier in the day, after which Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the move on Monday afternoon.
The Chief Minister told media persons on Monday afternoon that both the inquiry commissions would start working from June.
Calcutta High Court Justice Biswajit Basu (retd) will head the committee to investigate cases of ‘institutional corruption’. On the other hand, the committee to investigate cases of ‘crimes against women’ will be headed by Justice Nirman Chattopadhyay.
Formation of inquiry commissions on institutional corruption and crimes against women is one of the promises made by the BJP in its pre-poll Sankalp Patra (election manifesto). These proposals received formal approval from the new state cabinet on Monday.
Senior police officer Damayanti Sen, who is currently serving as the Additional Director General of the West Bengal Armed Police, has been included in the committee on ‘Crime against Women’. Her main role will be to oversee data and evidence gathering in major cases involving crimes against women in West Bengal over the last few years.
The Chief Minister said that during the previous government, there was massive corruption in implementing various social projects of both the Central and State governments. To get benefits under these social projects, bribes had to be paid. The common people were cheated. Many government officials, panchayat members, councilors and a whole range of brokers were involved in such corrupt practices. We had to form a commission against this institutional corruption. Now this commission has been formed under the leadership of retired Justice Basu.
He also said that logistical support to both the commissions will be provided through the offices of Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal and Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh.
The Chief Minister said that I hope that the Commission will start giving its suggestions within 30 days of starting its work. The police will file an FIR based on their suggestions. Appropriate action will be taken under appropriate sections of the Indian Justice Code, 2023.
–IANS
DKM/ABM
