HC raps CBI over tardy probe in Mathura Jawahar Bagh case

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday rapped the CBI for tardy investigation into the Jawahar Bagh episode of Mathura where violence during eviction of squatters from the public park last year had left over 20 people dead, including two police officials.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice D B Bhosle and Justice Yashwant Varma, which had on March 2 asked the CBI to complete its investigation in two months, expressed strong displeasure when the probe agency sought more time for completing its inquiry.

The court reprimanded the agency for failing to submit a report on the progress of investigation so far and directed investigating officers of the two teams, set up as per directions of the court, to appear in person on the next date of hearing on May 9.

While ordering the CBI inquiry, the court directed setting up of "two independent teams comprising adequate number of officers".

One of these teams was to "investigate and submit a fresh report" on the violence at Jawahar Bagh while the other was directed to "undertake a comprehensive investigation with regard to the unexplained inaction on part of the state government" despite intelligence inputs. Appearing on behalf of BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, the lead petitioner in the matter, advocates Rajiv Lochan Shukla and Indra Dutt Tripathi also submitted that so far the CBI has not recorded the statements of the family members of slain Additional Superintendent of Police Mukul Dwivedi.

They also reiterated the request for narco tests of key persons involved in the incident.