HC issued notices to Mah Govt, Police in Khairlanji case

Nagpur, Nov 11 (UNI) The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has issued notices to the Maharashtra Government and top police officials on a criminal writ petition demanding a CBI enquiry into the recent massacre of four members of a Dalit family in Khairlanji in Bhandara district of Vidarbha region in the state.

A division bench, comprising of Justices Kishore Rohee and C L Pangarkar, issued notices yesterday to Principal Secretary (Home) of the state government besides the Director General of Police (DGP), the Special Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nagpur Range, Bhandara district Superintendent of Police, the Deputy Superintendent of Police, and the Police Inspector of the police station under which the incident occurred.

The court has asked the respondents to file a reply within three weeks.

The petition, filed by Advocate Pramod Bhagat, has also demanded a fast-track court try the case and the appointment of a special public prosecutor besides police protection to the lone survivor, Bhaiyyalal Bhotmange. Citing newspaper reports, Bhagat has raised doubts over the fairness of the probe.

Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said here yesterday that he was not opposed to a CBI probe into the incident, provided the agency had the necessary manpower to spare.

Surekha Bhotmange (44), daughter Priyanka (18), and sons Roshan (23) and Sudhir (21) were done to death by a mob in Khairlanji on September 30 over a land dispute.

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