CHENNAI: Stating the investigation into the alleged sexual assault and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore as moving in the right direction, the Madras High Court on Friday refused to order formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the incident.
A vacation bench of Justices G R Swaminathan and V Lakshminarayanan made the observation after Advocate General Vijay Narayan elaborated on the steps taken for expediting the case investigation and the subsequent prosecution of the accused persons.
“We are of the view that things are going in the right direction,” the bench said when the counsel for the petitioner, Ramasamy Meyyappan, stressed for the SIT stating that messages have been posted on social media disclosing details of the survivor’s family and several theories being made in connection with the girl’s death on public platforms.
The focus shall now be more on the culprits and not on what is being circulated on social media, the bench added.
The petition was filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader P Chokkalingam seeking constitution of an SIT to ensure a free and fair investigation.
The AG, however, submitted that the government is according utmost importance to the case and that it fast-tracked the DNA tests. An efficient lawyer, KR Sankaran, has been appointed as special public prosecutor to expedite the prosecution, he said. Meanwhile, state counsel John Sathyan informed the bench that an additional superintendent of police has been supervising the investigation.
