Dehradun/haldwani, Jan. 16 -- The Uttarakhand Police department has constituted a high-level special investigation team (SIT) to conduct a probe into the alleged suicide of farmer, a resident of Paiga village in Udham Singh Nagar district, who died in Kathgodam, Haldwani, on the intervening night of January 10 and 11, officials said on Thursday. According to a press release issued by the Police Headquarters, a five-member SIT has been formed under the chairmanship of inspector general (IG), special task force (STF), Nilesh Anand Bharne. The team includes superintendent of police, Champawat, Ajay Ganpati; circle officer, Tanakpur, Vandana Verma; inspector Diwan Singh Bisht, and sub-inspector Manish Khatri, both from Champawat district. Meanwhile, Kumaon commissioner Deepak Rawat on Thursday formally initiated a magisterial inquiry into the alleged suicide of the Kashipur farmer, deepening the investigation into allegations of land fraud and police misconduct that the deceased had raised in a video recorded before his death. HT could not independently verify the veracity of the video. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday evening had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and directed Rawat to conduct the probe. "The state government has directed a magisterial inquiry into this matter. Notices have been served to all those whose names appeared in the video related to this case. Each of them will be interviewed, and their statements will be formally recorded. Some of those named were questioned today, and further questioning will continue on Friday. The magisterial inquiry is currently in progress," Rawat said. The 39-year-old farmer of Kashipur allegedly shot himself in a hotel of Gaulapar under Kathgodam police station in the wee hours of Sunday. In a video, he purportedly alleged that some people of Kashipur duped him of Rs.4 crore in a land fraud. They were allegedly neither providing land nor returning the money. In a move aimed at ensuring an impartial investigation, 12 police personnel, including three sub-inspectors, one assistant sub-inspector, one head constable and seven constables, who were earlier suspended in connection with the case, have been transferred with immediate effect to Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts in the Garhwal range. The police department has also directed investigators to conduct a detailed examination of the claims made in a video that surfaced on social media before the farmer's death, as well as allegations mentioned in an email sent by the deceased. The email names certain local people and police personnel of Udham Singh Nagar district. Officials said appropriate legal action would be initiated based on the findings of the probe and in accordance with established procedures. The case has triggered widespread concern in the region, with questions being raised over the circumstances leading to the alleged suicide and the role of local authorities. Congress on Tuesday mounted a sharp attack on the state government over the alleged suicide of the farmer, with state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal warning of an indefinite protest from January 16 if no action is taken by January 15. Godiyal had said the Congress would surround the police headquarters if the chief minister and the director general of police (DGP) failed to act. The farmer's wife had also alleged on Tuesday that justice had not been delivered even three days after the incident and warned of drastic steps if action was delayed. "I will take some extreme step along with my son, if justice is not delivered", she had told local media....