CBI arrests Bogtui carnage proclaimed offender after 2 years on the run
Synopsis
More than three years after 10 people were burnt alive in West Bengal's Bogtui village, the CBI has finally nabbed a key proclaimed offender from Kolkata who had been evading investigators and the trial court since 2022. The arrest underlines how slowly the wheels of justice turn in India's most politically charged violence cases.
Key Takeaways
CBI arrested Rohan Sk alias Kismot Sk from Mirja Galib Road, Kolkata on 23 June in the Bogtui carnage case.
At least 10 people , mostly women and children, were burnt alive in Bogtui village, Birbhum on 21 March 2022 .
The accused was declared a Proclaimed Offender by the Rampurhat court on 5 April 2024 after evading investigators for over two years.
The CBI has filed a charge sheet and three supplementary charge sheets naming 27 accused in the case.
In a separate case, Brijbhushan Prasad and Kartar Singh were arrested on 21 June for an SBI fraud of more than ₹1.25 crore in Dhanbad , first reported in 2005 .
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday, 23 June arrested a proclaimed offender linked to the 2022 Bogtui carnage — a mass killing in West Bengal's Birbhum district in which at least 10 people, mostly women and children, were burnt alive — from Mirja Galib Road, Kolkata. The accused, identified as Rohan Sk alias Kismot Sk, had been evading arrest and trial since the case was first registered more than three years ago.
The Arrest
According to the CBI, Rohan Sk was apprehended from Kolkata in connection with the Bogtui carnage case. The accused had never appeared before investigators or the trial court since the FIR was registered, prompting the Competent Court at Rampurhat to declare him a Proclaimed Offender (PO) on 5 April 2024. He will be produced before the Competent Court in Purba Bardhaman on Wednesday, the agency said.
Background: The Bogtui Carnage of 2022
The Bogtui carnage occurred on 21 March 2022 in Bogtui village, Birbhum district, when a group of people were allegedly set ablaze inside their homes. At least 10 individuals, predominantly women and children, died in the attack, which was reportedly linked to a political killing in the area. The brutality of the incident drew national outrage and prompted the Calcutta High Court to transfer the investigation to the CBI.
The CBI formally registered the case on 25 March 2022, taking over Rampurhat Police Station FIR No. 169/2022 dated 22 March 2022. Following investigation, the agency filed a charge sheet and three supplementary charge sheets between 2022 and 2024, naming 27 accused in total — including Rohan Sk.
Separate SBI Fraud Case: Two More Arrests
In a separate operation, the CBI also arrested two proclaimed offenders — Brijbhushan Prasad and Kartar Singh — on 21 June in a coordinated sweep across Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The duo were wanted in connection with a bank fraud case involving the alleged misappropriation of more than ₹1.25 crore from the State Bank of India (SBI)'s Dhanbad branch in Jharkhand.
According to the CBI, the fraud was carried out between November 2002 and June 2005, and the case was originally registered on 31 August 2005. The arrests, coming nearly two decades after the case was filed, bring a long-pending investigation closer to closure.
What Comes Next
With Rohan Sk's arrest, the CBI has now secured custody of another key accused in the Bogtui case, which remains one of the most high-profile political violence cases in recent West Bengal history. The trial is expected to proceed with his appearance before the Rampurhat court. Observers will watch whether further absconding accused in the 27-person charge sheet are tracked down in the months ahead.
Point of View
Yet remained at large in Kolkata for over three years. The CBI's track record on West Bengal political violence cases has been uneven: charge sheets have been filed, but convictions remain elusive. With 27 accused and a case that drew Supreme Court attention, the real test is not the arrest but what happens in the Rampurhat courtroom. Political violence in Bengal has a long history of perpetrators cycling through bail and absconding; this case will signal whether the judiciary can break that pattern.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Bogtui carnage of 2022?
The Bogtui carnage refers to the mass killing on 21 March 2022 in Bogtui village, Birbhum district, West Bengal, in which at least 10 people — mostly women and children — were allegedly burnt alive inside their homes. The attack was reportedly linked to a prior political killing in the area.
Who is Rohan Sk and why was he arrested?
Rohan Sk, also known as Kismot Sk, is one of 27 accused named in the CBI's charge sheet in the Bogtui carnage case. He was declared a Proclaimed Offender by the Rampurhat court on 5 April 2024 after evading investigators and the trial court since the FIR was registered in March 2022, and was arrested from Kolkata on 23 June.
How did the CBI get involved in the Bogtui case?
The Calcutta High Court ordered the CBI to take over the investigation, following which the agency registered the case on 25 March 2022, taking over Rampurhat Police Station FIR No. 169/2022. The CBI subsequently filed a charge sheet and three supplementary charge sheets naming 27 accused.
What is the separate SBI bank fraud case the CBI cracked?
The CBI arrested Brijbhushan Prasad and Kartar Singh on 21 June in a coordinated operation across Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh for allegedly misappropriating more than ₹1.25 crore from the State Bank of India's Dhanbad branch between November 2002 and June 2005. The case was originally registered on 31 August 2005.
What happens next in the Bogtui carnage case?
Rohan Sk is scheduled to be produced before the Competent Court in Purba Bardhaman on Wednesday. His arrest advances the trial proceedings, though other accused among the 27 named in the charge sheets may still be at large.
