The Calcutta High Court judge who had stayed Justice Amitava Lala’s ban on weekday rallies will probe Rizwanur Rahman’s death.

“The state government asked me on Thursday afternoon if I would agree to head a judicial commission to probe the mysterious death of Rizwanur. I replied that I would be happy to conduct the probe,” said Justice Aloke Chakraborty, 62, who retired in 2005.

“I shall try to find out the truth as soon as possible,” said Chakraborty, who was also chairman of the West Bengal Legal Aid Services Committee.

Congress leader Arunava Ghosh, a high court lawyer, said: “The state has made the appointment to serve its interests. Justice Chakraborty had presided over the bench that stayed Justice Lala’s order on rallies in October 2003.”