Case No. – 340 dated 17.09.2011 u/s 302/ 201 IPC of Burtolla Police Station
They fell in love and it could have been a poetic justice for them with a happy ending. They could have set up a happy family and led a normal life. But something different was predestined for them that none of them could have imagined ever. Ironically the guy was killed by her ancée and she was put behind the bar for the rest of her life.
Brief Facts: It was midnight. There were only few police personnel in Burtolla Police Station as night patrolling parties had already left thana premises. Rabindranath Layak was Duty Ofcer at that time on 17 July, 2011. Suddenly the telephone started buzzing at around 2 AM. Duty Ofcer picked up the receiver. An anonymous voice hurriedly informed him that an unconscious young man was taken to Calcutta Medical College Hospital who was stated to be a person brought dead to the hospital.
Reaching at the hospital, the Duty Ofcer took some photographs and sent the body for Post Mortem. But no FIR was lodged by the aides of the victim Benu Shankar Nandy alias Sanjoy. The place of occurrence was a red light area in North Kolkata. Nobody came forward to lodge an FIR. However a general diary of unnatural death was recorded by the police.
Since nobody lodged a FIR for the unnatural death of Sanjoy and with the passing days the incident was put in oblivion. After two months the police received the Post Mortem report that Sanjoy was strangulated and killed. Then police lodged a FIR suo moto basis on 17 September in the same year and Sub Inspector Subarna Dutta Choudhury was assigned to investigate the murder.
Investigation: Almost two months later on receipt of the Post Mortem report of the said incident, police became sure Benu Shankar Nandy alias Sanjoy was strangulated and killed. Investigation revealed that Sanjoy had a live-in relationship with a sex worker namely Rama alias Sima Pal. Sanjoy who was originally from Dantan in East Midnapore district worked as a pimp at 438, Rabindra Sarani. He used to reside at 7, Moniruddin Lane in the same locality under Burtolla Police Station area where Rama also lived.
According to Rama and other residents of the building Sanjoy came at around 12 A.M on the day of incident and as the door of main entrance was already closed the caretaker refused to open the door for him. However, Rama came down and insisted the caretaker to open the door. When caretaker allowed Sanjoy to enter into the house, both Rama and Sanjoy were happy. They giggled in a light mood, thanked the caretaker and went up to their room. Nearly after two hours Rama came out from her room and knocked on the door of her next door neighbour Mahamaya, who happened to be another sex worker in the same building. Rama was looking nervous. She told Mahamaya that Sanjoy suddenly fell unconscious and sought her help. Many others gathered during their conversation and they took Sanjoy to Medical College Hospital for treatment but it was in vain. The doctors announced that he was brought dead.
Investigating Ofcer (IO) met Rama and her neighbours time and again, recorded their statements and interrogated. In the face of interrogation Rama claimed that she had marital relation with Sanjoy but he insisted her to earn money as sex worker. She also expressed her displeasure over Sanjoy’s such attitude. The IO came to a conclusion that Sanjoy was killed by none other than his ancée Rama following her statement on displeasure over his attitude and serial order of incidents on the day of killing. Two days after lodging an FIR, Investigating Ofcer arrested accused Rama Pal alias Sima on 19 September on the charge of murder.
Chargesheet & Trial: The case came in the Fast Track session court. Session case no. 6 of 2012 was referred to the Court of ADJ(1st) Kallol Kumar Das. Charge was framed under sections 302 &201 IPC and chargesheet was submitted by the police on 17 December, 2011 within 90 days of FIR. Trial of the case began in the next year. The charge was established by only circumstantial evidence as there was no direct evidence and witness of the incident. However the proof beyond reasonable doubt was established before the court by Advocate Mandira Basu who was PP in the case. The Ld. Court also appreciated the role of the Investigating Ofcer for awless investigation. The court announced imprisonment of the accused Rama Pal alias Sima for the life term on 20 April, 2017. The Investigating Ofcer of this case Subarno Dutta Choudhury has already bagged gold and silver medals in Medico Legal cases in 2004, 2010 and 2015 in All India Police Duty Meet.
Abhijit Chatterjee
