Girl killed for refusing to read holy book: HC order expedition of probe
The Bombay High Court has directed the city police to expedite its probe into the death of a girl, allegedly killed by her relatives for refusing to read a holy book and offer prayers.
The court in its order passed yesterday also asked the police to file a report of its investigation.
A bench of Justices R M Savant and Revati Mohite-Dere directed the Antop Hill police that is probing the incident, to record the supplementary statement of the victim's father.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by her father, Hussain Qureshi, seeking the transfer of the probe to another agency.
Qureshi told the court that he felt that the police would arrest him too, and therefore, sought protection.
A widower, he told the court that while he was out for work, his brother and sister-in-law used to take care of his 15-year-old daughter.
On May 4, he was informed by his brother that the girl had died after falling in the bathroom.
Additional Public Prosecutor Aruna Pai, however, told the court that the victim had been adopted by her uncle and aunt (Qureshi's brother and sister-in-law) after her mother's death.
Pai said the girl was brought dead to Sion hospital by her relatives.
Initially, the police believed their version and registered a case of accidental death but the post-mortem report revealed some ligature marks on the victim's neck suggesting that she had been strangulated, Pai said.
"Following its initial probe, the police came to the conclusion that the girl had been strangulated to death by her uncle and aunt after she refused to read the holy book and offer prayers," Pai said.
While both the accused have been arrested for murder, the police are still probing whether Qureshi had any role to play in the incident.
Pai also told the court that the prosecution had sought the trial court's permission to conduct a "narco-analysis test" on him to find the truth but he had refused to appear for it.
However, Qureshi denied the allegations and also told the bench that he had never refused for the test.
He also alleged that the police's theory of the victim having been killed over prayers seemed far-fetched.
At this the bench observed that the case was sensitive in nature and required utmost attention of the probe agency.
It directed Qureshi to visit the concerned police station at affixed time and give his supplementary statement.
"On what basis have you arrived at this conclusion? We will need a report," the bench asked the prosecution.
"After the supplementary statement is recorded, we expect the investigating agency to carry out a fair and proper probe since we are informed that the probe into the case is still in progress,"the bench said.
"We
also
expect
that
all
such
requisite
measures
required
to
be
taken
during
the
course
of
the
investigation
will
be
taken
at
the
earliest
in
view
of
the
fact
that
the
incident
occurred
over
a
month
back.
We
expect
a
report
from
the
investigating
agency
on
the
next
date
of
hearing,"
it
said.
The
court
is
likely
to
hear
the
matter
on
June
29.