The Hindu : New Delhi News : Time-bound retrial demanded

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 11, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Time-bound retrial demanded

Staff Reporter

Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case

NEW DELHI: Various groups under the banner of "Justice for Priyadarshini" on Monday demanded a time-bound retrial in the Priyadarshini Mattoo rape and murder case, in which the prime accused was acquitted for lack of evidence, to ensure that justice is finally delivered in the case.

Addressing a press conference here, Indu Jalali, a childhood friend of Priyadarshini, said they wanted the judiciary to intervene so that a retrial could be conducted.

The group has sent out appeals to the Chief Justice of India, the Delhi High Court and the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The group is also considering the possibility of filing public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court. "We are in touch with our lawyers in this regard," said Aditya Raj, one of the members of "Justice for Priyadarshini".

The members said justice had been denied in the case for the past 10 years. They added that it was ironical that the prime accused, Santosh Kumar Singh, son of a senior Indian Police Service officer, was now an advocate at Delhi's Tis Hazari courts. While acquitting the prime accused in 1999, the judge had criticised the CBI for shoddy investigations and commented that he knew that the accused was the culprit but he had to give him the benefit of doubt for lack of evidence.

Following the acquittal, the CBI had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court challenging the lower court verdict. The group has demanded that the retrial be conducted in a fast track court so that justice is done in the case as soon as possible.

Several groups are supporting the cause of "Justice for Priyadarshini".

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