New Delhi: The Tamil nadu government on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court challenging an order passed by the Madras High Court transferring the investigation of the alleged suicide of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Vishnu Priya, which was being carried out by the CB-CID of the State police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The HC had entrusted the probe to the CBI acting on a petition from M. Ravi, father of the 27-year-old Vishnu Priya, who was the then DSP of Tiruchengode in Namakkal district. She was found hanging in her residence on September 18 last year. Vishnupriya, was probing the sensational murder of Dalit youth Gokulraj.
She had left behind a suicide note hinting pressure from top police officers to frame unconnected people as accused in the murder case. Initially, the case was investigated by the State police and later transferred to the CB-CID by the State government.
Alleging that the probe cannot be free and fair if investigated by the CB-CID as the Superintendent of Police, Namakkal has control over the agency; Vishnu Priya’s father moved the High Court to transfer the probe to CBI. A single judge of the court dismissed the plea against which Mr. Ravi filed an appeal and the Division Bench ordered a CBI probe.
In its appeal against the verdict, TN government said that the investigation in the case was being carried out by the police in a “fair and professional” manner without any interference from any quarters. It said CB-CID was a premier investigating agency of the state known for its professional competence and a senior officer having long experience had been entrusted with the probe and it was second to none in conducting the probe.
The High Court had failed to note that the State was equally concerned to arrive at the truth as the victim was a police officer. The State prayed for quashing the HC order and an interim stay of its operation till the disposal of the appeal.
