Citizens have faith in CBI's investigating abilities: SC

New Delhi: Citizens of India have faith in the “investigating abilities” of CBI, the Supreme Court today observed while directing the agency to probe a case relating to the mysterious death of a 22-year-old woman in Noida in 2015.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said there was no laxity in the investigation conducted by Crime Branch of Delhi Police, which probed the matter after it was transferred to it from Noida Police, but CBI is “more equipped” to deal with the case.

“At this juncture, we make it clear that we do not think that there has been any kind of laxity in the investigation carried out by the Delhi Police, but there can be no doubt that the CBI is more equipped and the citizens of this country have faith in its investigating abilities,” the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar, said.

“We direct the CBI to investigate into the crime independently and file the status report before this court within three months hence,” the bench said and posted the matter for hearing on April 10.

The court’s order came on a plea of the victim’s mother who had sought transfer of the investigation to the CBI.

She said her daughter, Pooja, had died under mysterious circumstances on August 1, 2015 and the photographs of the deceased revealed “there has been assault with immense brutality which could not have been caused by an accident” as claimed by the police.

The bench also referred to forensic reports which did not rule out a “homicidal assault” and said the injuries sustained by her may have been caused with a heavy weapon during “interpersonal violence”.

The counsel appearing for the girl’s mother claimed in the court that no proper investigation was conducted by the police and effort was being made for “some unfathomable reason to treat it as an accident”.

The counsel alleged that material evidence have been destroyed by the accused who have some influence and it was a fit case to transfer the investigation to CBI.

The counsel representing the Delhi Police told the bench that investigators have tried their best to solve the case so no fault could be found with the status report filed by them.

The bench, after hearing the submissions, transferred the matter to CBI.

“Needless to say, when the CBI is conferred the responsibility by this court to investigate into the crime, it has to investigate independently, impartially and objectively without being influenced by any kind of prior investigation or prior status report,” the bench said.