Centre gets past state,CBI to probe train attack

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee suffered a second blow after the central government ordered a CBI inquiry...

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee suffered a second blow Wednesday after the central government ordered within hours of the Left Fronts humiliating defeat in the civic polls a CBI inquiry into last weeks Jnaneswari Express tragedy.

The Union Home Ministry,which had always been in favour of a CBI probe,invoked the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DPSE),1946,that empowers the Centre to call in the CBI without the concurrence of the state government.

After appearing initially to be open to the idea,West Bengal had on Monday rejected a probe by the CBI,probably because the CPM did not want to be seen as acquiescing to a demand made by Mamata Banerjee.

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Sources said the Centre took the line that since the Jnaneswaris derailment and the subsequent collision with the oncoming goods train occurred on railway land,the state governments concurrence is not required. The West Bengal government and railway authorities have been asked to join the investigation, said an MHA official.

Sources said the Bengal government has agreed to associate with the CBI probe.

It is learnt that following the state governments refusal on Monday,Mamata sent a letter through senior Railway Ministry officials asking the Home Ministry to explore the DSPE Act to order a CBI probe.

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Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

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