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Tuesday, Sep 26, 2006
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Sabharwal case: court notice to CBI, Madhya Pradesh

Legal Correspondent

State police chief asked to submit status report on investigation by November 3

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Madhya Pradesh Government to ask a senior police officer of the rank of Deputy Inspector-General to monitor the investigation into the death of Prof. H.S. Sabharwal in Ujjain after some students allegedly assaulted him.

A Bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta also directed the Director-General of Police, Madhya Pradesh to submit a status report by November 3 on the police investigation.

It wanted the DIG, who would be monitoring the investigation, to place an affidavit on the allegation that the probe was not being done impartially.

The Bench asked the Madhya Pradesh police to ensure that witnesses willing to give statements were provided protection for recording their statements. It issued notice to the CBI, the State Government and other respondents on a petition filed by Prof. Sabharwal's son Himanshu seeking a CBI probe into his father's death.

The petitioner said he was compelled to move the apex court seeking handing over of the investigation to the CBI as the police were `trying to shield' some of the accused.

He said the State Government was not ready to accept that the victim died as a result of the assault by the union leaders. Instead, leaders of the ruling party in the State were making statements in favour of the accused.

The police had not registered a case of murder against the accused after Prof. Sabharwal died on August 26 and included the murder charge only after the case was transferred to the CID, he said.

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