The Maharashtra government had sought a CBI probe into the Preeti Rathi acid attack case two months ago, Home Minister R R Patil said today.
"The state government sought a CBI probe into the matter in June," he said, responding to reports about delay on part of the state government on the issue.
Patil had given directions about handing over the probe to CBI in June when Preeti's father met him with the demand, an official said.
After Patil's directives, the Principal Secretary (Home) had written to CBI director Ranjit Sinha, seeking that the agency probe the case.
"It is the CBI which takes the final decision on probing a case. As such, there is no truth in reports that Patil reneged on his assurance about a CBI probe in the case," the official said.
The father of Delhi resident Preeti Rathi, who died after a man flung acid on her face here in May, approached the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI inquiry.
Amar Singh Rathi sought that the probe be transferred to the CBI after alleged inaction by Mumbai police in arresting the culprit.
An unidentified man had flung acid on Preeti (23) when she got down from a train at Bandra Terminus in Mumbai on May 2. She died after being on ventilator support for two weeks.
Preeti was supposed to join the Colaba Naval Hospital 'INS Ashwini' as a staff nurse.
