CBI has moved the Supreme Court in former Gujarat Home Minister late Haren Pandya’s murder case challenging Gujarat High Court order which had criticised it for A “botched-up” and “blinkered” probe while dropping murder charges against 12 accused.
Official sources said on Monday a Special Leave Petition (SLP) was filed in the apex court last Friday challenging the High Court order.
The High Court had on August 29 dropped murder charge against the 12 accused of being involved in the killing of Haren Pandya eight years ago.
While absolving the 12 persons of the murder charge, the court upheld the trial court’s decision to convict them for criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder and offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
Mr. Pandya, who was a minister of state for home in the BJP government and was once close to Chief Minister Narendra Modi, was shot dead on March 26, 2003, in Ahmedabad when he was out for a morning walk. According to CBI, Mr. Pandya was murdered to avenge the 2002 communal riots.
Criticising CBI, the court had observed “what clearly stands out from the record of the present case is that the investigation in the case of murder of Haren Pandya has all throughout been botched up and blinkered and has left a lot to be desired.”
Ahead of filing of the SLP, CBI had given presentation about the investigation to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Union Law Minister Salman Khursheed.
CBI’s presentation was made on the investigations carried out in the case and the legal points on which the agency could approach the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat High Court’s order.
