NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it would allow the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu president K. Armstrong and sought permission to withdraw its appeal challenging the transfer of the case to the central agency.
The state filed an interlocutory application before the apex court seeking to withdraw its appeal against the Madras High Court's order directing a CBI probe.
Accepting the request, the Supreme Court permitted the withdrawal of the appeal, paving the way for the CBI to formally take over the investigation.
Armstrong, the Tamil Nadu BSP president, was allegedly hacked to death by a group of assailants near his residence in Perambur, Chennai, on July 5, 2024. The killing triggered widespread political outrage and raised concerns over law and order in the state.
The Madras High Court had earlier ordered that the investigation be transferred to the CBI, citing the need for an impartial probe. The Tamil Nadu government subsequently challenged the order in the Supreme Court.
With the withdrawal of its appeal on Wednesday, the CBI can now formally take over the investigation into the high-profile murder case.
In February this year, the Madras High Court cancelled the bail granted by a trial court to 12 accused in the case after hearing a plea filed by Armstrong's wife, Porkudi.
The High Court revoked the bail after observing that the case was still at the stage of framing charges and that releasing the accused could lead to witness tampering and destruction of evidence. It directed the accused to surrender before the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai on or before March 6, a deadline that was later extended.
On October 10 last year, the Supreme Court stayed the Madras High Court's order quashing the chargesheet filed by the Tamil Nadu Police. However, the apex court declined to stay the High Court's direction transferring the investigation to the CBI.