A day after being appointed Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) in the highly-sensitive Tamanna murder case, senior advocate Bibhas Chattopadhyay visited the victim’s residence, assuring the family that every possible effort would be made to secure justice while indicating that certain aspects of the investigation warranted closer scrutiny before the trial begins.
Describing the pre-trial review as “extremely important,” Chattopadhyay on Saturday said that although charges had already been framed and the trial was expected to commence shortly, he believed parts of the investigation “could have been better” and had conveyed his observations to the investigating officers.
“The case is nearly a year old. As a prosecutor, it is essential for me to undertake a thorough pre-visit before the trial. My responsibility is to examine how best the case can be conducted. I feel certain aspects of the investigation could have been better, and I have shared my views with the investigating officers. They will take an appropriate call. Since the trial is likely to begin soon and charges have already been framed, I have to ensure that the prosecution presents the strongest possible case,” he said.
The senior advocate added that the victim’s family had reposed immense faith in him and that he would do everything possible to live up to their expectations.
“I am touched by the confidence the family has shown in me. My endeavour will be to justify that trust during the course of the trial,” he said.
Chattopadhyay’s visit came against the backdrop of significant developments in the year-old murder case. Hours earlier, police arrested 12 more accused, effectively taking into custody 23 out of 24 FIR named accused. Eleven accused had already been arrested in earlier phases of the investigation.
The arrests followed Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s public assurance that every person involved in Tamanna’s murder would be brought to book. In a social media post, the Chief Minister announced that all the accused had now been arrested, asserting that the government had ensured the rule of law prevailed.
The victim’s mother Sabina Yasmin welcomed the recent developments but maintained that justice had been delayed by nearly a year.
“I want the strictest punishment for all the 24 accused. They deserve either the death penalty or life imprisonment. The steps that should have been taken a year ago were not taken then. They are being taken now, and for that I sincerely thank the Chief Minister,” she said.
The latest developments build upon the extensive investigation already carried out by the Kaliganj police.
Investigators had earlier submitted a comprehensive 340-page charge sheet against the first batch of ten arrested accused, detailing their alleged roles in the conspiracy and use of explosive substances that claimed the life of the nine-year-old girl.
The chargesheet, filed as Kaliganj PS Charge Sheet No. 1/25 dated 13 September, 2025, pertains to Case No. 534/2025 registered on 23 June under Sections 190, 191(2), 191(3), 118(2), 109, 103, 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Police had named all ten for trial while indicating that the investigation into the remaining FIR-named accused would continue.