HC asks Jharkhand govt to handover probe to CBI in Abhishek case

Ranchi, Feb 20 (UNI) The Jharkhand High Court today ordered a CBI inquiry into the mysterious death of Abhishek Mishra asking the state government to hand over the probe to the premier investigating agency.

Abhishek's body was found near the Dassam Falls, about 40 km from here, on December 9, a day after he along with his friends, including Railway Minister Lalu Prasad's daughter, went for a picnic there.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Muthuswamy Karpagyavinaygam and Permod Kohli asked the state government to hand over the case to the CBI, though the government had earlier ruled out any ''need'' for probe by the investigating agency. The court further maintained that if required it could assist the CBI in this case.

Initially, the state police termed the case an ''accident,'' but Abhishek's father Dr S Mishra, Chief Medical Officer of Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, wrote a letter to the High Court in this regard.

The case made headlines when the main Opposition BJP raised the issue, accusing the ruling Madhu Koda-led UPA government of trying to ''conceal'' the truth as a ''big shot'' was involved in it.

Even the Chief Minister premised his statement on the post-mortem report saying it was only a ''drowning'' case. Mr Koda refused to give in to the demand for a CBI inquiry on the pretext of investigation being carried out by the state police.

The court took suo motu cognisance of the matter and asked the state government to submit case diary.

The amicus curiae pleaded for a CBI probe as many photographs found from Abhishek's laptop were also submitted before the court.

A case was registered at Bundu police station after the body was found in the falls.

UNI