HC says it will not interefere in the Batla House probe

New Delhi, Nov 7 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today refused to interfere in the probe of the Batla House encounter and refused to pass any order on a plea seeking judicial inquiry into the shootout in which two suspected terrorists allegedly involved in Delhi serial blasts were killed.

A bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice S Muralidhar refused to give any opinion saying that the National Human Rights Commission is looking into the matter and its (court's) interference may amount to carrying out a parallel inquiry.

''We are not inclined to express opinion as far as prayer one (for judicial inquiry) is concerned. A far as other prayers (pertaining to leak of the confessional statement) are concerned, we issue notice,'' the Bench said.

The bench issued notice to the Centre, Delhi Police and a news magazine for a leaking an alleged confessional statement made by the accused of serial bomb blasts to media.

The bench passed the order on a petition filed by an NGO, Act Now for Harmony and Democracy, seeking a judicial inquiry doubting the police version on the September 19 encounter in which one of its officials was also killed.

Advocate Mukta Gupta appearing for the police, opposed the plea seeking a judicial inquiry saying that the NHRC is seized of the matter.

UNI SNG ARB BD1925