Gujarat High Court today rejected a PIL seeking investigation by CBI into the case of self-immolation by five members of a family in Rajkot last month.
A division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala while rejecting the PIL observed that, "as four persons have already been arrested and charge sheet is likely to be filed soon, court is not inclined to intervene in the investigation carried out by the police."
On April 3, five members of a Nepalese family, facing demolition of their house by civic authorities, poured kerosene and set themselves on fire in front of the office of Rajkot Municipal Commissioner.
Three of them died on the same day while two others succumbed to their burn injuries few days later.
George Dias, a social activist, claimed in his PIL that, he was "shocked to know that despite five persons committing self-immolation in front of his office, the Municipal Commissioner did not care to inform the local police or Police commissioner."
"Due to indifferent attitude of Rajkot Municipal Commissioner, five members of a same family lost their lives...By not calling the police he has committed offence under section 305 (abetment of suicide) of the IPC," he said, demanding a probe by CBI in the case.
There was a huge outcry following the incident and opposition parties Congress and Gujarat Parivartan Party had observed 'Rajkot Bandh' and demanded action against the responsible persons.
