HC expresses dissatisfaction over crime branch's probe into disappearance of CISF official

New delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the investigation conducted by the Delhi Police Crime Branch into the case of the disappearance of a CISF official, who has been missing since May after visiting his Dhaula Kuan office here to get a leave cleared.

The high court asked the crime branch to file its third status report after changing the investigating officer to address the various loopholes in the probe conducted so far into the disappearance.

A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar also hinted that it can change the investigating agency in the case and may ask the CBI or some other independent agency to probe.

The high court was hearing a habeas corpus petition by the wife of CISF constable Venkata Rao, through advocates R Balaji and K.Sravan Kumar, seeking to know the whereabouts of her husband.

An FIR was lodged at police station Usmanpur under Section 365 IPC (kidnapping or abduction with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) on September 17 on the directions of the high court.

A habeas corpus petition is filed seeking direction to produce a person who is missing or illegally detained.

The bench said this was a case where a man has disappeared and it was not at all satisfied with the investigation and that it may have to change the investigating agency.

Advocate Chaitanya Gosain, representing the Delhi Police, assured the court that further investigation would be carried out. Advocate Balaji told the court that there were a large number of shortcomings and loopholes in the status reports filed by both the crime branch and the CISF.

The high court listed the matter for further hearing on December 18.