SC seeking CBI inquiry into Veerapan's death

New Delhi, May 9: The Supreme Court today issued notices to Tamilnadu and the CBI on a petition filed by the wife of sandalwood smuggler Veerapan seeking CBI inquiry into the death of her husband in a police encounter in 2005.

A bench comprising Mr Justice K G Balakrishnan and Mr Justice D K Jain issued the notice returnable within four weeks after hearing Muthulakshmi's counsel who contended that his client's husband was killed in a fake encounter by the Special Task Force of the state of Tamilnadu.

He also pleaded that the Madras High Court has overlooked the crucial evidence while dismissing her writ petition.

She has filed a special leave petition against the Madras High Court order.

The petitioner has alleged that her husband was in police custody and was totally unarmed and the encounter was stage-managed at the instance of politicians in power.

She has sought the registration of criminal cases against those responsible for the murder of Veerapan who was a terror in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka during his lifetime and carried a cash reward of several lakhs on his head.

Veerapan was responsible for several murders and was also involved in the sensational abduction of late popular Karnataka filmstar Rajkumar.

He was also involved in the elimination of thousands of elephants and was the unchallenged king of forest spread over two south Indian states.

UNI