Allahabad HC asks UP govt to reply on petition seeking CBI probe in Akanksha Dubey suicide case

The Allahabad High Court on Monday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply within three weeks in response to a writ petition seeking a CBI probe into the alleged suicide by Bhojpuri film actress and model Akanksha Dubey.

The petition filed by Madhu Dubey, mother of Akansha Dubey, seeks a probe by the central agency, alleging that the conduct of the local police in the matter does not inspire confidence.

Hearing the writ petition, a division bench comprising Justice Anjani Kumar Mishra and Justice Vivek Kumar Singh directed to list the case after five weeks.

In her petition, Madhu Dubey alleged that there were several irregularities in the investigation being conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Police. She also claimed that the police had been working in collusion with criminals.

The petitioner raised doubts on the version of the Uttar Pradesh Police that her daughter died by suicide. She highlighted the non-addition of relevant sections relating to rape in the charge sheet, saying the forensic science laboratory report confirmed the presence of sperm in the vaginal slide and vaginal swab stick of the deceased as well as her undergarments.

It contended that even the DNA test of the accused or the suspected person was not available on record and no effective effort was being made to tally the DNA test outcome of the semen or sperm with the suspected blood sample.

As per facts of the case, Akansha Dubey was in Varanasi for the shooting of a film and after the shoot ended, she headed to her hotel room, where she was found dead on March 26, 2023.

Subsequently, in April, two accused, Samar Singh, a singer, and Sanjay Singh, a business partner of Samar Singh, were arrested. Sanjay Singh has already been granted bail by the trial court. Samar Singh's bail petition is pending before the high court.