25 October 2005 :

the Contai fast track court in East Midnapore, India, sentenced to death a prominent Citu leader, Purnendu Patra, and sentenced CPI-Ms Nilpur local committee secretary, Rabindra Jana, to life rigorous imprisonment.
The two were found guilty in a case relating to the murder of Saraswati Guchhait, a 35 year old female, in 1998.
On 27 July, 1997, the woman was lured to Tamluk by Patra who promised to help her acquire an identity card as a tobacco roller from the district labour department office.
While returning home in the evening she was raped by the Citu leader in a field at Karalda. She then approached the Nilpur local committee secretary Rabindra Jana, for justice, who asked her to hush up the matter in lieu of cash. She refused to do so and lodged a complaint with the police. Failing to convince the rape victim to withdraw the case on the night of 27 October 1998, Jana called her from her house. As soon as she emerged with her four-year-old son, Patra poured acid on her body, critically injuring both of them. Despite hearing their screams it was reported that no villager dared to come to their rescue. They were both taken to Contai hospital where the boy succumbed to his injuries.
Undaunted, Patra sneaked into the hospital and threatened the woman with dire consequences unless she withdrew the case. Through hospital staff she called in a clerk of the Contai criminal court, Joyram Maity, who recorded her statements and submitted them to the court.