The CBI, as part of its probe into cases of post-poll violence in Bengal, has filed three new FIRs in two places, agency sources said on Tuesday. According to the sources, the cases were filed in Purba Medinipur’s Nandigram and Cooch Behar’s Sitalkuchi areas.

As many as 31 cases have been filed so far by the agency. After the TMC stormed back to power, the BJP accused the ruling party workers of unleashing violence on its members, leaving several of them dead.

The saffron camp also claimed that many homes of party activists have been destroyed, and women raped in various parts of the state. The Calcutta High Court, after taking cognisance of an NHRC report on post-poll violence, handed over the probe to the CBI.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice, Calcutta High Court, Rajesh Bindal observed that the court is aware of the matter and appropriate steps will be taken after Kashinath Biswas, a petitioner of the PIL on post-poll violence, drew the court’s attention that the SIT was directed by the court to be set up is yet to be formed.

The court had directed after passing an order on the post-poll violence PIL on 19 August that the SIT headed by a retired Supreme Court judge is to be set up within 10 days of passing of the order.

Appearing for the petitioner. Rabishankar Chattopadhayay submitted that despite the order of the Special Bench, the SIT has not been formed by the state government. On the order of the court, but the CBI has already started its investigation.

The SIT was directed to be formed by three IPS officers serving in the state. Headed by a retired Supreme Court judges are to investigate crimes other than rape and murder which would be probed by the CBI. Both the CBI and the SIT are to submit status reports on the investigation in six weeks. The matter will come up for next hearing on 4 October.

Meanwhile, the CBI applied for documents, including post mortem and DNA reports, relating to the death of BJP activist Avijit Sarkar from the Registrar-General of Calcutta High Court.

Sarkar was allegedly killed on 2 May, the day state Assembly results were announced. After the 19 August order of a Special Bench of this court, the CBI has started investigating cases of post-poll violence. A CBI team has already visited the house of Sarkar at Phulbagan.

The deceased’s elder brother, Biswajit Sarkar refused entry to two city police officers alleging they had tried to intimidate the family after Avijit died. Two post mortems were conducted on Sarkar’s body.