Initial objections of the West Bengal government notwithstanding, the Union government has decided to order a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into Gyaneswari Express derailment in which 148 people were killed.
The decision has been taken as the incident had taken place on railway property and in such cases the concurrence of the state government was not required.
"We have decided to hand over the case to CBI under Section 5 of Delhi Police Special Establishment Act, under which the CBI functions," an official said, adding that during the investigation, the CBI will be helped by the Central security agencies, Railway Protection Force and West Bengal government.
"Today the West Bengal government has conveyed to us that they will cooperate in the investigation," the official said.
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had alleged that there was a political conspiracy behind the train derailment and that could be unearthed only through a CBI probe.
However, West Bengal Home Secretary Samar Ghosh on Monday had dismissed the idea, saying, "The CID probe has progressed a great deal and the state government does not feel that a parallel inquiry is necessary."
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram had said on Monday that the Railways favoured a CBI probe, but the state government's view had not been received.
He had also said that the train derailment appeared to be an act of sabotage but it was not yet clear whether explosives were used to blast the tracks. "The needle of suspicion points to Maoists or frontal organisations of CPI Maoists," Chidambaram had said.
The Section 5 of Delhi Police Special Establishment Act says that the Central government may by order extend to any area (including Railways areas), the powers and jurisdiction of member of the Delhi Special Police Establishment for the investigation of any offences or classes of offences.
Mamata welcomes CBI probe into train mishap
Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today said investigation by CBI will help truth come out.
"I have come to know that the Union home ministry has decided to order a CBI investigation into the disaster," Banerjee said.
"Whoever has done it, the culprits should be brought to book. It is a heinous crime. The truth should come out," she told PTI in Kolkata.
