PIL seeks probe by CBI or SIT in Palghar lynching

A public interest litigation was

filed in the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, seeking that the probe in the Palghar lynching case be handed over to an independent agency like the CBI or a special investigation team be set up for it.

The petition, filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, has also sought that the high court monitor the probe and seek periodical reports from the investigating agency.

The public interest litigation (PIL) also demanded that the case be expedited and financial compensation be provided to the family of a car driver, who was among the three persons lynched by a mob.

 

The incident took place on the night of April 16 when three men - two seers and their driver - were going from Mumbai in a car towards Surat in Gujarat to attend a funeral.

Their vehicle was stopped near a village in Palghar district where the three were dragged out of the car and beaten to death with sticks by a mob on suspicion that they were child-lifters.

The deceased were identified as Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), Sushilgiri Maharaj (35), and driver Nilesh Telgade(30).

The petition noted that 101 people have so far been arrested in the case, which has been transferred to the state Crime Investigation Department (CID).

The government has also suspended two policemen from Palghar for alleged dereliction of duty.

"However, there are allegations that the police personnel present at the scene of the incident did not help the victims. The incident video even shows one police official pushing one of the victim sadhus away from him instead of protecting him, the petition said.

The PIL said the incident has shaken the collective conscience of the society at large, and every step needs to be taken to restore public's faith in the police machinery.

"Hence, the PIL is seeking for the probe to be handed to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a special investigation team (SIT) for a free, fair and time-bound investigation," the petitioner said.