Mumbai: The High Court has pulled up the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for taking lightly the investigation into the death of an accused in the Badlapur school sex abuse case in an encounter with the police on September 23. Emphasizing the need for impartial investigation of all cases, the court said that the conduct of the CID in this case was questionable and it appeared that they were not ready to give all the information to the magistrate investigating the incident.
Due to the incompetence of the local police, the investigation has been handed over to CID. How can CID take the investigation lightly? Deaths in custody are a matter of concern. What to expect from CID now? Doubts are being raised in the investigation. Why were medical documents related to the case not collected? Why is CID not gathering information properly? Do not test the patience of the court. Are you deliberately hiding information from the magistrate? The court asked this question.
Only after properly investigating the case and submitting all the statements to the Magistrate, the Magistrate can prepare the report. The accused and his family also have the right to a fair trial.
The court was told that all the documents and information have been handed over to the magistrate and the remaining information will be handed over in a week. The court has fixed the hearing on January 20, by which time the magistrate will have to submit the report.
Earlier also, the Bombay High Court had slammed the Maharashtra CID for showing the Lasdia account to the investigating agency, with the court saying that the investigation is being taken lightly and there are many lapses in it. The court considered it unusual that there were no gunshot marks on the hand of accused Akshay Shinde and there were no fingerprints on the water bottle given to him to drink.
The court rapped the delay by the CBID in collecting the literature to be given to the magistrate investigating the case. Magisterial inquiries into cases of custodial deaths are mandated by law.
