HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has transferred the investigation into the suspicious death of a young law graduate from Suryapet district to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), holding that the circumstances warranted an independent and credible probe.
Justice N Tukaramji allowed a writ petition filed by Dharavath Bhaskar, father of Dharavath Nikhil, who went missing on October 9, 2022, and was found dead in a canal two days later.
The petitioner alleged that investigators prematurely treated the death as suicide, failed to properly collect and preserve evidence, including CCTV footage, call detail records and digital material, and ignored possible interference by influential persons. He also questioned the manner in which the case was initially investigated and sought an independent probe.
The CID defended its probe, stating that witness examination, call data and tower location analysis, CCTV verification and forensic material supported death by drowning. It submitted that all angles, including murder, were examined after the case was altered to Section 302 IPC.
CID did not fully address concerns, notes HC judge
Justice Tukaramji noted prima facie material indicating a suspicious death, unexplained inconsistencies in the investigation and conflicting medical opinions. The court also recorded a reasonable apprehension of bias and external influence, observing that transfer of the case to the CID had not fully addressed concerns surrounding the original probe.
Directing the CBI to register a regular case and conduct a de novo investigation, the court said the agency should examine possible offences including murder, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence and offences under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It was also directed to examine the last-seen theory, call records, CCTV footage and digital evidence and re-evaluate medical and forensic material wherever necessary.
State police and the CID were directed to hand over all records and material objects to the agency. The investigation is to be completed preferably within six months.
