CBI considering taking over Dr Narendra Dabholkar murder probe

The CBI on Wednesday informed the Bombay high court that it was considering whether or not to take up investigations into the murder of anti-superstition activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar, who was shot dead on August 20, 2013, in Pune.

A division bench of justices PV Hardas and Ajey Gadkari asked if the CBI had powers to suo moto probe a case. "The agency can probe the case without it being transferred to it by a court only if a notification under the relevant section of the Delhi Police Act is issued by the agency. If not done, the claim of the agency considering taking over the investigation is premature," justice Gadkari said.

Advocate Rebeca Gonzalves appearing for the investigating agency sought two weeks' time from the court. "The consideration is being done at the CBI headquarters in Delhi and no decision has been taken as yet," she said.

The CBI made the statement while responding to a PIL filed by former journalist Ketan Tirdokar, seeking the transfer of investigation from Pune police to an independent agency. He urged the court that he wanted to amend the PIL to include CBI as a respondent.

Dr Dabholkar's daughter, Mukta, who has moved an intervening application and sought a probe by a special investigation team, did not object to the present investigations.

The court noted that the probe is conducted by a deputy commissioner of police and is monitored by an officer of the rank of additional commissioner of police.