In a significant twist to the ongoing investigation of the Durga Prasad Deb alias Vicky murder case, the defense on Sunday termed the recovery of a pistol as a ‘planned drama’. Police claimed that they had recovered the firearm along with three rounds of bullets from Durgabari Crematorium based on the inputs from the one of the accused persons, Rakesh Barman.
However, Defense lawyer Samrat Kar Bhowmik, addressing the media on Sunday, dismissed the prosecution’s claims regarding the recovery of the weapon.
| Also Read : Firearm In Vicky Murder Case Recovered From Crematorium, Hunt For Main Accused Continues |
“The prosecution asserted that the pistol and bullets were found based on information provided by the accused, Rakesh Barman. However, my client informed me that this recovery was staged by the police. They allegedly orchestrated the scene by bringing two witnesses to the police station between 1 AM and 2 AM and later took Rakesh Barman to the crematorium to ‘find’ the weapon,” Bhowmik said.
Bhowmik further stated, “The recovery of the pistol is nothing but a premeditated act. The weapon and bullets were likely planted at the crematorium days before the alleged recovery.” The defense has demanded the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court obtain CCTV footage from the NCC Police Station to uncover the truth behind the recovery. Additionally, they have requested that the recovered pistol be sent to a forensic laboratory outside the state for testing last when the pistol was used.
In a directive issued on Saturday, the court emphasized maintaining neutrality in the investigation and ordered that the pistol be sent to an outside State forensic laboratory for examination.
Moreover, Bhowmik raised concerns regarding the Special Public Prosecutor (PP) assigned to the case. He pointed out that advocate Sankar Lodh, currently acting as the Special PP, had previously represented the accused Rakesh Barman and others in a different case around 14 days ago. “Given his prior involvement as defense counsel for Rakesh Barman, it is highly inappropriate for advocate Lodh to now serve as the Special PP in the same case,” Bhowmik argued.
Responding to the defense’s plea, the court issued a balanced order, restricting advocate Sankar Lodh from appearing in court hearings involving Rakesh Barman. Senior advocate Bibhra Nandi Majumder, who is also assigned as a Special PP in the Vicky murder case, has been directed to take over the proceedings concerning Rakesh Barman.
Despite the court’s orders, Bhowmik expressed dissatisfaction on behalf of his client, indicating that they might challenge the CJM court’s decision.
(Tripura, Tripura News)
