HC transfers probe to CB-CID; top cop retires, another shunted out

MADURAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of investigation into the death of a father-son duo in Tuticorin, alleged victims of police torture, to the CB-CID, expressing fear that evidence could disappear by the time CBI took over the probe.

The case would be handled by the Deputy Superintendent of CB-CID, Tirunelveli, Anil Kumar. The state government had on Monday transferred the probe to the central investigation agency.

A division bench of Justices P N Prakash and B Pugalendhi said the court was handing over the case to the CB-CID as it feared that evidence could disappear by the time CBI took over.

The Judges felt that the immediate transfer of the case to the CB-CID was done so that public confidence was not lost. The bench sought the opinion of the state government on the interim arrangement but transferred the case to the CB CID. The post mortem report (preliminary) and Judicial Magistrate’s report indicated there was prima facie material for registering a murder case in the matter, the bench said. The court said the probe of the case should not be delayed even by a second and directed the CB-CID to take up the probe immediately. Meanwhile, the Superintendent

of Police of Tuticorin” by the Tamil Nadu government. Arun Balagopalan IPS “is brought to the compulsory wait at office of the Director General of Police,” a Home Department order said. Villupuram SP S Jeyakumar has been appointed in place of Balagopalan.

The government also posted S Murugan, IG, Economic Offences Wing, Chennai as the IG, South Zone, vice KP Shanmuga Rajeswaran, who retired on Tuesday.