HC declines plea for CBI probe

More than a month after senior IPS officer Y Puran Kumar “allegedly died by suicide”, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed a plea seeking a CBI probe into the matter after UT furnished details of the probe before a Division Bench.

“It does not appear that there is any unnecessary delay or laxity in investigation till date… No case for handing over investigation to any independent agency is made out and, therefore, the present petition stands dismissed," the Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry observed in the open court before noting that a Special Investigation Team was already probing the matter.

Appearing before the Bench, UT’s senior standing counsel Amit Jhanji submitted that 14 persons have been arrayed as accused in the case. He also informed the court that as many as 22 witnesses had so far been examined. “The entire CCTV footage has been procured and secured and 21 exhibits have also been collected and sent to forensics," Jhanji added.

Taking a note of the submissions, the Bench made it clear that petitioner Navneet Kumar could not satisfy the court as to how the PIL was maintainable in the matter. Among other things, the petitioner had argued that one of the officials conducting the investigation had also committed suicide, and the incident had shaken the conscience of the society as a whole. “Senior officials are committing suicide and alleging victimisation and naming more than dozen of senior IPS and IAS officers. As such, it is a matter of concern. Humble submission is that some central agency can conduct a fair investigation,” he had added during the course of hearing.

Responding to the argument, Chief Justice Nagu had questioned the counsel on circumstances warranting transfer of investigation to the CBI. “What is so special about this case? When do we hand over investigation to CBI? Which are those decisions of the Supreme Court? There has to be some extraordinary circumstances”.