Chennai: The CBI has informed the Madras high court that the investigation into the Thoothukudi police firing incident, in which 13 anti-Sterlite protestors were killed, is being carried out with all seriousness.
The CBI stated this in its report submitted before a division bench comprising Justices T.S.Sivagn-anam and V.Bhavani Subbaroyan when the appeal filed by Vedanta Limited, against an order of the state government, closing the Sterlite industry came up for hearing on Tuesday.
The CBI said the Madurai Bench of Madras high court by its order dated June 27 had directed CBI to file a status report in this case by September 16.
In its report, the CBI stated that as directed by the division bench of the Madurai bench of the Madras high court, the case registered by the SIPCOT police was re-registered by the CBI. Subsequently, another case was registered against unknown public servants from police and revenue departments and others on the basis of the written complaint of one K.S.Arjunan, District Secretary of CPI (M), Thoothukudi.
Both CBI FIRs were pending before Chief Judicial Magistrate, Madurai, the CBI added.
The CBI said during the police firing on 22 and 23, May, 2018 during the anti-Sterlite protests, 13 persons lost their life. In this regard, the high court had directed to investigate the entire issue in totality.
On 22 and 23, May, Thoothukudi police have registered 207 cases in connection with the police firing related incidents. Among the 5 cases relating to the death of 13 persons were being investigated by CBCID when the investigation was transferred to CBI. After registration of the case, the CBI took over the entire case records relating to 207 FIRs registered by the local police and the case records from the CBCID.
The family members of the deceased, the injured public and police, relevant witnesses from departments concerned have been examined.
The CCTV footages have been sent for forensic examination for their authenticity through the court. The documents and forensic reports collected were under detailed scrutiny, the CBI added.
The directions of the high court were being carried out in letter and spirit. The role of police/revenue authorities and their overt acts if any in the police firing and the role of rioters were being investigated.
Though the volume of work involved was more and the nature of investigation was sensitive, investigation was being carried out to weigh the evidence collected in golden balance of impartiality and justice and to arrive at genuine conclusions, the CBI added.
