The Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the CBI to take up the investigation into the mysterious death of forest guard Hoshiyar Singh.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma said that there had been public outcry over the incident and the general sentiment was in favour of a CBI probe.
The state government and the police had earlier pleaded that the investigation into the case hadbeen completed and achallan was ready, therefore, there was no need for a CBI probe.
This is the second high-profile case in the recent past, after the Kotkhai rape and murder as well as custodial death case, to be handed over to the CBI by the high court.
Singh (22), a forest guard in the Karsog forest range in Mandi district, had gone missing on June 5 and his semi-naked body, hanging upside down from a tree was found in the woods on June 9. The death had triggered protests with many seeking a CBI probe into the matter.
The police had registered a case of murder but after recovering a "suicide note" and other evidence, a case of abetment to suicide was registered and six persons were arrested on June 15 in connection with the death, according to officials. Four more arrests were made on August 24.
A case of alleged illegal felling of trees registered by the police on the basis of details mentioned in the dairy of the deceased was also handed over to the CBI by the court.
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