Man held in 2021 Bengal post-poll rape case after HC bail, nabbed in Ghaziabad | Kolkata

Kolkata: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday arrested a man accused of raping a woman during the post-poll violence in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district in May 2021. He was granted bail by the Calcutta High Court in September 2024.

“The accused was arrested from a hideout Ilaichipur in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad . He was absconding,” an officer said.

According to the federal agency, the crime took place on May 4, two days after the results of the assembly elections were announced, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) returning to power for the third time in a row. Rival political workers clashed, party offices were torched and homes looted, resulting in the deaths of several people and prompting the Union home ministry and state governor to seek reports.

On August 19, 2021, the Calcutta high court had ordered a CBI probe into the allegations of murder and crimes against women committed during the post-poll violence. The CBI registered a case on August 30, 2021. The agency filed a chargesheet against the accused on May 5, 2022.

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The CBI moved the Supreme Court and filed a special leave petition after the accused was granted bail by the Calcutta high court on September 25, 2024.

“On August 2 this year, the apex court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against the accused,” the officer said.