SC reserves judgement on transfer of Sabharwal murder case

New Delhi, Mar 7 (UNI) The Supreme Court today reserved its judgement on a petition seeking transfer of Prof H S Sabharwal murder case outside Madhya Pradesh.

A bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and P Sathasivam, however, indicated that the case may be transferred to Nagpur in Maharashtra where there is no BJP government and Nagpur is also closer to Ujjain as compared to Delhi.

Himanshu Singh Sabharwal, son of Professor Sabharwal, is seeking transfer of the case outside Madhya Pradesh as the accused belong to the student wing of the ruling BJP in the State and BJP-ruled administration was sparing no efforts in shielding the culprits.

Recently, state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan went to hospital to meet one of the accused Vimal Tomar and spent a considerable time with him, the petitioner contended.

According to the petitioner, important witnesses are being intimidated and are not in a position to depose freely before the court.

Prof Sabharwal was beaten to death on August 26, 2006 as ABVP workers were annoyed with him for cancelling College Students Union election.

The apex court had stayed the trial in the case on July 7, 2007.

Himanshu Singh Sabharwal is also seeking re-investigation in the case by the CBI as he is not satisfied with the shoddy investigation carried out by the State police.

According to him, crutial evidence has delibrately being ignored by the police to save the culprits.

51 prosecution witnesses have already been examined in the case.

Petitioner has also prayed to the court to change the prosecutor.

UNI AKS/SC DS SSC1319