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Supreme Court allows CBI to probe Tamil Nadu teen suicide case

The top court told the state government not to make it a prestigious issue and hand over all papers to the CBI
Last Updated 14 February 2022, 13:13 IST

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the CBI to continue its probe as ordered by the Madras High Court into the suicide of a 17-year-old girl in Thanjavur, allegedly due to harassment for her refusal to covert to Christianity.

The top court told the state government not to make it a prestige issue and hand over all papers to the CBI.

It, however, agreed to examine a plea by the Tamil Nadu government against the High Court order, which also made stinging remarks against the state police and the Education Minister, who had ruled out the conversion angle.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi issued notice to the girl's father on the plea of the state government but declined to interject with the High Court's direction for CBI probe in the matter.

The bench said that there are two aspects in the matter first there are some observations and secondly the issue of transfer of the case to the CBI.

“We wonder, if we should intervene with the probe begun by CBI. It might not be appropriate for us to interject in the investigation of CBI. We will issue notice on the first aspect," the bench said.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the state government, submitted that the dying declaration is on record and this is not a case where police need to be blamed. "I don’t know why such a big issue is being made," he asked.

The court, however, said the investigation by the CBI as per the High Court's order would continue.

The 17-year-old girl, studying at the Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School in Michaelpatti, consumed poison on January 9 and died on January 19 at a hospital. Her video alleging the hostel warden had attempted to convert her to Christianity, had gone viral on the social media.

The girl’s father filed the petition on January 21 seeking a CB-CID probe but he, subsequently, sought a probe by CBI.

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(Published 14 February 2022, 07:17 IST)

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