Criticising the police for failure to crack a murder case for the past 14 years, the Madras High Court directed the Director-General of Police, Tamil Nadu, to pay a compensation of Rs. 3 lakh to the family of the victim.
Justice S. Nagamuthu, who passed the orders, transferred the investigation of the case to the CBI from the CB-CID. The petitioner, M. Balu, is the husband of Shenbagavalli, who was murdered by unknown persons on October 8, 1999.
Officers at the Vikravandi police station registered a murder-for-gain case. As there was no progress, Mr. Balu approached the court for a speedy probe.
An interim order, passed in June 2000, directed the CB-CID to probe the case and file a report in three months. However, the police could not arrest the accused despite the court extending the deadline several times. Seventeen officers from various branches of the police investigated the case, and 454 witnesses were examined.