Prof Sabharwal case: SC notice to MP

New Delhi, Aug 1: The Supreme Court on Friday, Aug 1 issued contempt notice to state of Madhya Pradesh in Prof H S Sabharwal murder case.

A bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat issued notices on the petition filed by Himanshu Sabharwal, son of late professor, whose counsel alleged before the Supreme Court that BJP government in the state was creating obstacles in the progress of the trial and the additional public prosecutor was not being paid his fees by the state government deliberately and intentionally. According to the petitioner, public prosecutor, who has to travel from Jabalpur to Nagpur to attend the proceedings in the case, was finding it difficult to conduct the case. He is not being paid professional fees and other charges, which include miscellaneous expenses.

Professor Sabharwal, the head of the political science department of Ujjain's Madhav College, died on August 26 last year from lung and rib injuries after being beaten up by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists for cancelling college students union election.

Vimal Tomar and Rajiv Ranjan Akela, two senior activists, are the main accused in the case and BJP Government headed by Mr Shivraj Singh Chauhan is sparing no efforts in shielding the culprits, the petitioner claimed.

State Chief Minister recently went to meet Tomar in the hospital and stayed with him for more than an hour.

The trial of the case was transferred from Jabalpur to Nagpur on March 12 this year at the request of Mr Himanshu Sabharwal.

UNI