HC gives nod to conduct scientific tests on two suspects

Mumbai, Nov 2, (UNI) The Bombay High Court today gave its nod to conduct Narco Analysis, Brain Mapping and Polygraph tests on two suspects in the Jalgaon District Congress Committee president Prof V G Patil murder case, in which Dr G N Patil, brother of President Pratibha Patil is suspected to be involved.

Solicitor General Goolam Vahanvati, appearing for the CBI today, sought permission from the High Court for conducting the tests on two suspects--Liladhar Narkhede and Damodar Lokhande. He informed the court that, the CBI had moved the trial court in Jalgaon for permission to conduct the tests. The trial court turned down the request saying that, it would be better if the investigation agency moved the High Court, as the matter was under its consideration.

A division bench comprising Justices R M S Khandeparkar and V K Tahilramain gave its nod to conduct the tests saying that, CBI as an investigation agency had enough powers to adopt any mode of investigations and it does not need permission from any court for conducting scientific tests on the suspects. The court also directed the CBI to furnish further progress report into the investigations of the case.

The Solicitor General informed the court that, the CBI had recorded statements of deceased accused Raju Mali's wife Rekha on September 27 and in her statement she had revealed that, one of the suspects Narkhede had met actual assailant Raju Mali roughly a month before the assault on Prof Patil took place and Narkhede had advanced monetary help to them. Apart from that, statements of Rekha's brother Bhaskar Mahajan had also been recorded and that had corroborated with her revelations.

Lokhanded and Narkhede's counsel S B Talekar objected to the tests saying that both of them had been discharged by the High Court and that order was confirmed by the Supreme Court. Despite that, they had co-operated with the CBI. The CBI had interrogated them nine times, for more than seven hours a day. But, the court turned down his objections saying that, no person has the right to object to investigation into any case and by way of intervention they could not seek any relief from the court.

Pr V G Patil was brutally murdered on September 11, 2005 in Jalgaon. Rajani Patil, wife of the slain Congress leader, has moved the High Court seeking court's controll over CBI investigations into the case alleging that Dr G N Patil, who was defeated by Prof. V.

G. Patil in District Congress Committee presidential elections in April 2005, and Dr Ulhas Patil, former Congress MP from Jalagaon had given a ''supari''(contract) to kill her husband.

She has further alleged that, despite specific statements of one of the two arrested accused, the CID and thereafter the CBI too, failed to arrest and question them.

UNI