CHENNAI: The state government informed the Madras High Court on Friday that the investigation into the Kallakurichi hooch deaths has almost been completed and the investigators are awaiting serology and toxicology test reports.
Advocate General (AG) PS Raman, representing the state, made the submission before the first bench of Acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice PB Balaji. The bench heard a batch of public interest litigation petitions seeking a CBI probe into the incident.
Raman said out of the 24 people arrested, 11 have been detained under the Goondas Act. The case is being investigated by a team of CB-CID officers, headed by a superintendent of police, with an investigation officer in the rank of deputy superintendent of police and 10 assistant investigation officers. The investigators have examined 244 witnesses, he said.
Pointing to the investigation’s status, he asked would it not be appropriate for the CB-CID team to file the charge sheet. Opposing the petitions seeking a CBI probe, he said all the petitioners belonged to political parties and not one person from the victims’ families had pointed fingers against the fairness of the investigation.
He said the grounds for a CBI probe could be raised only if politicians from ruling party or government officials were involved. “If the court finds flaws, it can order a re-investigation,” he said. The bench adjourned the hearing to September 4.