The cases under investigation by the CBI — some of which had already been charge-sheeted — had far-reaching consequences. The CPI(M) in Bengal has, therefore, stepped up its legal cell and is about to launch a statewide campaign to highlight how “ the party had falsely been implicated by CBI officers whose very integrity was under clouds,” said senior party officers. Incidentally, Partha Sarathi Bose earlier boss in the CBI, A K Sahay, was similarly disgraced when a CBI team from Delhi raided his premises and unearthed assets alleged to be disproportionate to his income.

The cases being investigated by Bose includethe murder of Tapasi Malik in Singur in which a CPI(M) zonal committee secretary was arrested as the main accused. Bose was also associated with the recovery of a huge cache of arms and ammunition from a brick kiln in Nandigram along with 10 CPI(M) members. The arrest and seizure had done serious damage to the image of the party as it helped establish that much of the violence in Nandigram was being perpetrated by armed CPM party cadres who were brought in from other adjoining areas.

Prior to this, Bose was also in charge of the Chota Angaria massacre in Midnapore and instrumental in submitting a chargesheet against Tapan Ghosh and Sukur Ali — both CPI(M) stalwarts of West Midnapore. Until their arrest in November 2007 near Nandigram, Ghosh and Ali eluded the CBI since the massacre on January 4, 2001, in which seven persons were burnt to death in Chota Angaria.

Now, some members of the CPI(M) are raising allegations against Bose. “We have information that Partha Sarathi Bose, the arrested officer, deliberately worked against us and through wrong investigation arrested and chargesheeted our leaders. Tapasi Malik was pregnant, a fact which was ignored in the investigations by the corrupt officer,” said CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member Shyamal Chakraborty.

Another CPI(M) MP, Rupchand Pal, went a step further alleging, “The officer used to extort money from businessmen in Singur threatening that he would involve them in the case”.

Invoking another controversial case, Chakraborty added, “We still fail to understand why in the Rizwanur case, despite the postmortem report confirming the death as suicide, the CBI had started a case of murder. Why was Trinamool Congress MLA Javed Khan spared though his name was on the so-called suicide note.”

In fact, the party has even urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that Bose is not let off easily, accusing the officer of being an “opposition man”. The CPI(M) has not only had initiated taking out rallies against the officer and the agency throughout the state, but has also has geared up its legal cell to question the investigations and its results.

On the other hand, Mamata Banerjee, chief of then Trinamool Congress has described Bose’s arrest as being dubious. In her words : “Dal me kuch kala hai (there is something fishy)”.

While the arrested officer, who is under the custody of the Anti-Corruption Cell of the CBI in Delhi, insists he has been “implicated on false charges”, there is evidence that he has amassed a disproportionate amount of wealth over the years. According to the CBI, searches at Bose’s residence revealed Rs 13,79,800 in cash; investments worth Rs 33,18,500 in Monthly Income Scheme (MIS) in 12 post office branches bearing 41 accounts ; investments of Rs 35,36,059 in National Saving Certificates (NSCs), Kisan Vikas Patras (KVPs) and Fixed Deposits; and a flat worth Rs 10,50,000. In addition, the value of jewellery in his possession as well as his balances in various banks is yet to be calculated. Bose is presently spending his time in Tihar jail.