The Hindu : National : Maharashtra goes back on CBI probe

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Thursday, Oct 11, 2007
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Maharashtra goes back on CBI probe

Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: While the Maharashtra government last month agreed to let the CBI investigate the Hari Masjid incident in which six people were killed during the Mumbai riots of 1992-93, on Wednesday it submitted in court that it was not for an “investigation.”

At the hearing of a writ petition filed by one of the Hari Masjid victims, Farooq Mapkar, in the Bombay High Court, the Chief Public Prosecutor submitted a letter to a Division Bench that the government was not for an “inquiry” into the Hari Masjid firing case. Shakeel Ahmed, Mapkar’s lawyer, said that an inquiry was only meant to establish a prima facie case. A full-fledged investigation meant that the police would have to file a charge sheet and prosecute the offenders. Obviously the government was not for this, he said.

The government also submitted in court that the matter was pending before the Supreme Court which would hear it on October 30. In addition, the Special Task Force had inquired into the incident and found no prima facie case. However, Mr. Ahmed argued that even if the matter was before the apex court, the High Court could order an investigation. As far as an inquiry was concerned, the Srikrishna Commission had already probed the matter, Mr. Ahmed said.

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