Thaindian News

Kolkata, Oct 30 (IANS) There is “nothing suspicious” about police officer Atindranath Dutta, who was abducted and then released by Maoist guerrillas last week, the West Bengal Criminal Investigation Division (CID) has said after his interrogation.
“We’ve got nothing suspicious after interrogating Dutta. We called him to the CID headquarters for some routine questioning,” Deputy Inspector General of CID (special operations) Ajoy Ranade told IANS Thursday.

Atindranath and his father Ashok Dutta were called by the state CID for interrogation Oct 26 and 27. The duo were quizzed by senior officials of the state investigative agency for hours.

Asked about Dutta’s frequent statements before the media following his release that was termed a violation of the police code of conduct by some quarters, Ranade said: “We’re not looking into that aspect. There’s a disciplinary committee of state police to address that issue.”

Dutta, the officer-in-charge of Sankrail police station in West Midnapore district, was abducted by a group of armed Maoist guerrillas Oct 20 and later released unharmed by the rebels after 51 hours of captivity. He was handed over to some scribes in a dense forest Oct 22.

According to police sources, a service notice has been served to Dutta by West Midnapore District Superintendent of Police M.K. Verma to join duty immediately.

State Western Region Development Minister Sushanta Ghosh has dropped hints of Dutta’s Maoist connections.

“There are some questions in the minds of the people. They feel he has some connection with the Maoists,” Ghosh told the media.

The minister, whose department is in-charge of implementing development initiatives in the western districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia, where the Maoists have a base, said it was not clear how Dutta was abducted by the Maoists.