HC Judges to visit Bada Kabrastaan tomorrow

Mumbai, Mar 10 (UNI) Justices S B Mhase and V K Tahilramani will inspect Bada Kabrastaan in Marine Lines in South Mumbai tomorrow to ascertain apprehensions of digging of graves and selling of human organs.

The judges directed Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor and Collector of Mumbai to remain present at the Kabrastaan during their visit.

Mohammed Anwar Sankhe and Mohammad Rafiq Falke, both members of Jumma Masjid of Bombay Trust, which manages the graveyard, moved the high court, suspecting foul play in the Kabrastaan.

They contended that they had seen a body in white shirt and blue pant, lying unattended near a grave in an area, where generally unclaimed bodies were buried, when both of them visited the Kabrastaan on December 26, 2007 for a woman's burial. When they enquired about it, workers in the Kabrastaan could not give any explanation, their petition says, adding after hue and cry over the issue some workers came, dragged and buried the dead body in a nearby grave, without any religious rites.

They moved the high court when their complaints, made to the Trust and filed with L T Marg Police Station, failed to move things.

Today, when their petition came up for hearing their counsel M S Mohite submitted that after filing of the petition things actually moved and L T Marg police has finally registered a case under section 297 of IPC. He also handed over a photograph depicting clothes body parts and bones of the dead lying scattered in the Kabrastaan.

The petitioners have apprehended in their petition that digging old graves and reburying the bodies could be part of a bigger racket selling human organs and bones and that according to them required to be investigated. Therefore, they have sought investigation by an independent investigation agency like Central Bureau of Investigation or State Criminal Investigation Department.

UNI XR OBB SB HT1935