<p>Chennai: After coming down heavily on the Chennai Police for failing to follow basic procedures in investigating the crime, the Madras High Court on Wednesday transferred the probe into the murder of Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). </p><p>Armstrong (52) was murdered by a six-member gang on July 5 outside his residence in Perambur, sending shockwaves across Tamil Nadu and raising questions over the law and order situation in the state. </p>.TN CM expresses shock over BSP leader Armstrong's murder.<p>Justice P Velmurugan ordered that the investigation be taken over by the CBI while allowing a petition filed by K Immanuvel, the deceased’s brother, alleging shoddy probe by the Chennai Police. The court intervention has come at a time when the probe into the sensational murder is underway and the police having already filed a 7,087-page chargesheet against 30 individuals. </p><p>The police had come under severe criticism from justice Velmurugan during the course of the hearing. In July, the judge had sought to know why the police didn’t even comply with the basic requirement of conducting an identification parade of the accused in the case. </p><p>However, the prosecution, had vehemently opposed the plea for transferring the probe to the CBI, arguing that the probe was complete.</p><p>Armstrong, who faced several criminal cases in the past and was cleared of them, is a noted figure in north Chennai and was popular among youngsters belonging to the Dalit community. </p><p>Armstrong, who was a councillor in the Greater Chennai Corporation, was the chief of the Tamil Nadu unit of BSP, which hardly has any presence in the state. BSP chief Mayawati flew to Chennai last year to pay respects to Armstrong. </p>
<p>Chennai: After coming down heavily on the Chennai Police for failing to follow basic procedures in investigating the crime, the Madras High Court on Wednesday transferred the probe into the murder of Tamil Nadu BSP chief K Armstrong to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). </p><p>Armstrong (52) was murdered by a six-member gang on July 5 outside his residence in Perambur, sending shockwaves across Tamil Nadu and raising questions over the law and order situation in the state. </p>.TN CM expresses shock over BSP leader Armstrong's murder.<p>Justice P Velmurugan ordered that the investigation be taken over by the CBI while allowing a petition filed by K Immanuvel, the deceased’s brother, alleging shoddy probe by the Chennai Police. The court intervention has come at a time when the probe into the sensational murder is underway and the police having already filed a 7,087-page chargesheet against 30 individuals. </p><p>The police had come under severe criticism from justice Velmurugan during the course of the hearing. In July, the judge had sought to know why the police didn’t even comply with the basic requirement of conducting an identification parade of the accused in the case. </p><p>However, the prosecution, had vehemently opposed the plea for transferring the probe to the CBI, arguing that the probe was complete.</p><p>Armstrong, who faced several criminal cases in the past and was cleared of them, is a noted figure in north Chennai and was popular among youngsters belonging to the Dalit community. </p><p>Armstrong, who was a councillor in the Greater Chennai Corporation, was the chief of the Tamil Nadu unit of BSP, which hardly has any presence in the state. BSP chief Mayawati flew to Chennai last year to pay respects to Armstrong. </p>