New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear a plea of Tamil Nadu government challenging the Madras High Court order for a CBI probe into the case relating to the suicide of a girl in Thanjavur, but allowed the central agency to continue the probe in the case.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M. Trivedi issued notice on the plea of the state government but declined to interject with the high court direction for CBI probe in the matter. The bench noted that there are two aspects in the matter — there are some observations and then, the issue of transfer of the case to the CBI.
“We wonder, if we should intervene with the probe begun by CBI…It might not be appropriate for us to interject in the investigation of CBI. We will issue notice on the first aspect,” said the bench.
The Tamil Nadu government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Madras High Court order directing a CBI probe into suicide of a 17-year-old girl. The case was transferred to the CBI on the victim’s father’s petition amid allegations of forced conversion.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the state government, submitted that the dying declaration is on record and this is not a case where police need to be blamed. He added, don’t know why such a big issue is being made?
After hearing arguments, the top court issued notice in connection with the court observations against the state government and police. However on the second aspect, transfer of probe to CBI, the bench said it will examine. “We are issuing notice only on the first issue”, said the bench. The top court also asked the Tamil Nadu government to hand over the papers to the CBI and issued notice to the girl’s father in the matter.
The father of the deceased has also filed a caveat requesting the apex court not to pass any order, without hearing him in the matter.
In a video, the girl purportedly stated that her school warden allegedly asked her to convert to Christianity, but she turned down the request and since then, she was troubled.
The 17-year-old girl, studying at a school in Michaelpatti, consumed poison on January 9 and died on January 19 at a hospital. The police have registered a case.
IANS