KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the CBI to conduct a further investigation into the death of violinist Balabhaskar. Balabhaskar was travelling with his wife and two-year-old daughter from Thrissur to Thiruvananthapuram early on September 25, 2018, when their car met with an accident on the outskirts of the capital city.
While the daughter died on the spot, an injured Balabhaskar passed away on October 2. His wife and driver escaped with injuries.
Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas observed that the investigation by the CBI was not foolproof. Hence, the investigating officer is directed to investigate the crime further, especially to identify whether there was any conspiracy or connection with the activities of gold smuggling.
The court also set aside the order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Thiruvananthapuram accepting the report of CBI terming it as an accident, with no evidence to prove otherwise.
The court passed the order on a writ petition filed by K.C.Unni, father of Balabhaskar, and another person seeking a directive to the CBI to further investigate the case. The CBI took over the investigation on July 27, 2020, and filed a report concluding that it was a case of a road accident. The petitioners alleged that the CBI had not conducted the investigation properly and had submitted the final charge sheet in haste.
The CBI submitted before the HC that the investigation in the case had revealed that there was no evidence of any conspiracy behind the violinist’s death. Nor was there any criminal intention on the part of the accused to commit a crime. It was a case of a road accident caused by rash and negligent driving.