The Hindu : Front Page : Aarushi case: CBI to file status report

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 08, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

Aarushi case: CBI to file status report

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: Even as the Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Aarushi’s father Rajesh Talwar to intervene in a public interest litigation petition filed by an advocate to restrain the media from giving adverse publicity to the case of murder of the Noida teenager, the CBI agreed to file a status report in the more than one-year-old case.

A Bench of Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice Cyriac Joseph also permitted the News Broadcasters Association to intervene in the case and granted four weeks for the parties who had not filed their reply to the petition filed by advocate Surat Singh to file their response and four weeks thereafter for filing rejoinder. The petitioner sought a direction to frame guidelines in reporting sensitive cases.

The petitioner also sought a direction for setting up a five-judge criminal justice system reforms committee to enquire into why an innocent person was allowed to rot in police custody because of “bungling and mishandling” by investigating agencies. Dr. Singh wanted a direction issued to the Directors-General of Police of all States to ensure that no information was leaked to the media in a criminal case pending investigation and the police should not rush to the media until the probe was completed.

Police sullying image

Dr. Talwar, in his application said that from the averments of the Uttar Pradesh government it was clear that the police continued to vilify and tarnish his reputation by insisting in the public domain that he was guilty and was involved in the murder of his own daughter. He said the police were bent upon confusing the investigation by the CBI to the detriment and prejudice of the applicant.

“It is expedient and in the interest of justice that the applicant may be allowed to intervene and be heard in the matter,” he said.

When the matter was taken up on Tuesday counsel for the parties said there was no objection for Dr. Talwar and the NBA intervening in the petition and accordingly the Bench issued notice for filing counter and rejoinder.

Solicitor-General (SG) Gopal Subramaniam said that it was necessary to strike a balance between freedom of speech and expression and individual liberty.

To a question from Justice Joseph as to what happened to the Aarushi case, the SG said he would file a status reply on the next date of hearing and the Bench directed the matter for hearing after eight weeks.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page