SC order is a setback, says Rizwanur's family

The family of computer graphics teacher Rizwanur Rahman described as a "setback" the Supreme Court's order not allowing murder charge to be framed against his industrialist father-in-law Ashok Kumar Todi. "It is a little setback for us that the Supreme Court has ordered that a fresh investigation with a murder charge being instituted by the CBI is not needed and the trial will be held for abetment to suicide," said Rukbanur Rahman, elder brother of Rizwanur who was found dead on railway tracks a month after his marriage to Todi's daughter Priyanka.

"Our family cannot believe that Rizwanur can commit suicide and we feel that he was murdered," Rukbanur told PTI. "It has been three and a half years since my son was killed, but we are still to get justice. I still believe Rizwanur was murdered, we want justice," Rizwanur's mother Kishwar Jahan said. But we accept what the honourable judges have ordered and respect their decision, she said.

Stating that it was a 'mixed feeling' for them, Rukbanur said, "I am happy that the Supreme Court has held that CID investigation

was on a wrong path and that the CBI probe was in the right direction. We also feel vindicated that the honourable court has held that the trial against the IPS officers be continued, he said.

"We want that officers -- former commissioner of Kolkata Police Prasun Mukherjee, Ajoy Kumar and Gyanwant Singh, be taken into custody and trial should begin as soon as possible," Rukbanur said. The officers have been accused of calling Rizwanur to Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters, and intimidating him to return his wife to her father Todi's house.

Rizwanur's body was found beside railway tracks at Patipukur, a few kilometres away from Todi's mansion in upmarket Salt Lake.

The Todi camp is, however, happy with the Supreme Court ruling which has set aside an order of a division bench of the Calcutta High Court while upholding that of a single bench of the court. "We are happy that we have succeeded in our appeal," D N Mitra, partner of solicitor firm Victor Moses and Company which holds the brief for Todi, said. "We are happy that our stand has been vindicated," he said.