CBI probe recommended into death of female Assam Police officer, top officials transferred

The Assam Police has recommended a CBI inquiry into the death of female sub-inspector Junmoni Rabha in a purported road accident, DGP GP Singh said on Saturday.

The superintendents of police (SPs) of Nagaon and Lakhimpur districts, where she worked and cases connected to her were lodged, were also transferred, an official order said.

''After reviewing the entire case with the CID and senior officials at police headquarters, I have recommended to the government to transfer four cases related to Rabha to the CBI,'' Singh said, addressing a press conference.

Rabha, who was also known as ''Lady Singham'' -- a Bollywood-inspired title for her controversial way of functioning, was killed on Tuesday when her car collided head-on with a container truck in Kaliabor sub-division of Nagaon district.

The state CID was initially asked to investigate the case, which has grabbed public attention as Rabha was quite popular.

Singh said the decision to recommend the case to the CBI was taken after considering the public sentiment regarding it. It was also deemed appropriate to ask a neutral agency to investigate the matter as it involves the death of an officer of the Assam Police, he added.

Of the four cases, three were lodged in the Nagaon district, where she was posted. In one of them, which was lodged on May 5, she was the investigating officer, while two cases are related to her death.

The fourth case was lodged in Lakhimpur against Rabha for alleged criminal conspiracy, dacoity, robbery, attempt to cause death, wrongful confinement and extortion. It was registered on May 15, a day before her death.

Singh said it has been decided to transfer all police officers of Nagaon and Lakhimpur, including the SPs.

Nabaneet Mahanta and Anand Mishra were appointed the new SPs of Nagaon and Lakhimpur, replacing Leena Doley and Bedanata Madhab Rajkhowa, respectively, according to a notification.

Doley will be the new SP of Hailakandi, while Rajkhowa was posted as assistant inspector general (sports).

A purported audio clip of an officer of the Nagaon police station went viral on social media on Thursday where it was claimed that Rabha was physically tortured before her death.