Sex CD cases: SIT head not to verify probe done in his absence

Senior IPS officer Soumendhu Mukherjee, who is also the head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sex CD cases involving former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, on Thursday, informed the High Court that he sticks to the investigation carried out during his absence. The officer was on medical leave even as the investigation was underway.

During the previous hearing, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka had observed that the investigation report, submitted to the bench in sealed cover, was not approved by Mukherjee.

The government submitted that Mukherjee had authorised the joint commissioner of police Sandeep Patil to submit the report before the High Court.

Advocate General Prabhuling K Navadgi submitted that the investigation was not vitiated due to the absence of the head of the SIT.

The bench perused the additional statement of objections filed by the SIT, which was verified by Mukherjee.

The court was informed that the officer had resumed charge as head of the SIT after his return from medical leave, from April 28 to July 29.

The bench made a query to the counsel representing the SIT whether as head of the SIT, Mukherjee was now willing to go into the investigation carried out in his absence with a view to ascertain whether it had been properly done.

The counsel submitted on instructions that the officer wanted to stick to the statement made by him in the additional statement of objections.

“Thus the only inference that can be drawn is that the head of the SIT is not willing to look into the investigation carried out by other members of the team during his long absence,” the bench observed, noting that query was made only with the object of ascertaining whether there is any effort made by the officer to ensure that proper investigation is carried out.

The bench has posted the batch of petitions on various issues, including the challenging of the validity of the constitution of the SIT, for hearing to September 3.