Hand over probe into MBBS student's death to CBI: HC

 Madras High Court has directed Puducherry police to immediately hand over to CBI the probe into the death of a fourth year MBBS girl student in 2012 while pulling up CB-CID for lapses in the investigation.

Justice P N Prakash, before whom the original petition filed by the girl's mother came up, passed the order yesterday saying the CB-CID probe does not inspire confidence.

Noting the lapses in the probe by local police and CB-CID, the court said it was of the view that this was a fit case to be transferred to the CBI.

The case relates to the death of Priyadarshini in her hostel room in Manakula Vinayakar College in Puducherry on May 17 2012. She had joined the course in 2008.

The mother said she received a call at around 8.45 AM from her daughter's friend who informed her that Priyadarshini had died and she should rush to Puducherry immediately.
College authorities said the door to her hostel room was forcibly broken open after getting no response and she was found hanging from the ceiling fan with her dupatta.

The mother contended that her daughter's death was shrouded in suspicion at every stage and she was constrained to move court four times as government had stonewalled all her attempts to have a fair probe into her daughter's death.

She said local police and CB-CID had not probed the involvement of one Pradeep, who allegedly had an affair with her daughter.

The Judge noted there was overwhelming material available from the inception of the case about the role of Pradeep, which ought to have been probed at the outset. Local police failed to do so, but the Revenue Divisional Officer had indicted him, despite which he was not questioned by CB-CID.

The judge said it was strange that local police and CB CID had questioned and recorded the statements of about 31 witness, but not the suspect.

When this was brought to the notice of the Public Prosecutor, he produced a statement from the case diary purportedly given by Pradeep.

The court perused it and noted that police had prepared a questionnaire and asked him to fill it up "as if he is writing a competitive examination".

The statement did not contain the date on which it was recorded, the name of the officer who did so and lastly, it did not go to the court along with the Closure Report.

The Judge lauded the proactive manner in which P Parthiban, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (South), dealt with the case "without succumbing to pressure.

"He had called the bluff of those who believe that only a judicially trained mind can dispense fair justice. The reply given by CB-CID to queries of the Magistrate 'is incredible," the Judge said and directed CBCID to transfer the case to CBI.