HC rejects ''plea'' for investigate Chopra murder case by CBI

Jammu, May 1 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Jammu Wing today rejected the ''plea'' for handing over the much publicised murder case of Chopra family, driver and a servant, to the CBI.

In a much publicised murder case of the state, a business tycoon RB Chopra, his wife Madhu Chopra, daughter Saloni Chopra, domestic servant and driver were brutally murdered on the intervening night of September 17-18, 2006 in the posh locality of Trikuta Nagar here, However, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of 11 Gazetted Police Officers and one IPS officer of SP rank worked on various possible grounds and examined more than 150 suspects.

After thorough investigation the SIT has come to the conclusion that the murders have been committed by the members of criminal tribes of Madhya Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the petitioner Puneet Chopra, son of Late R B Chopra, who was not satisfied with the investigations conducted by the Special Investigation Team, ''prayed'' for handing over the case to the CBI.

The state government vides notification dated September 25, 2006 as requested the Central govt to entrust the investigation of the case to CBI.

However, Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain after hearing both the sides and going through the records, from the case dairies, found that after the information about an incident was received by the police, preliminary steps like recording of statements and post-mortem of the dead-bodies was done by the police.

The Court has directed SIT to proceed with the case and expedite the investigation, which may be completed within a period of three months and also to submit weekly progress report of investigations to the Registrar Judicial of the High Court.

UNI VBH KK AS1928