The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Union government’s response on a plea for CBI probe into the mysterious death of National Conference leader Mohd Yusuf Shah Haji.
A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and S.S. Nijjar issued the notice also to the Jammu and Kashmir government seeking their replies within two weeks.
The bench was initially reluctant to entertain the plea as doctors had certified that heart attack was the cause of death.
Appearing for the petitioner, counsel Bhim Singh told the bench that the incident ought to be probed by the CBI as Yusuf had died after visiting the chief minister’s residence.
“Doctors have certified that he had died of heart attack. So where is the question of an FIR?,” the bench asked him.
Mr. Singh, however, insisted that the matter should be probed by an independent agency as the death had occurred under mysterious circumstances.
He cited the court’s earlier ruling in the D.K. Basu case wherein guidelines have been laid down on probing such mysterious deaths in alleged police custody.
The bench later relented and directed issuance of notices.
