Observing that Railway Police's Crime Branch was not in a position to trace the man who flung acid on Delhi resident Preeti Rathi at the Bandra Terminus here in May, causing her eventual death, Bombay High Court today transferred the probe to the Mumbai Police.
The division bench of Justices N H Patil and Revati Dere was hearing a petition filed by the victim's father Amar Rathi seeking CBI probe into the matter.
The bench directed the joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police's crime branch to appoint an assistant commissioner level officer to supervise the probe.
A scientific and specialised investigation was required to arrest the culprit who has been unidentified for over six months now, HC said.
"The Railway administration is not equipped to meet the challenges. It requires specialised training then only such crimes can reach to its final conclusions," the court said.
It also pointed out that installation of CCTV cameras in the city does not ensure that the crime can be prevented.
"What is the use of the CCTV cameras.... CCTV only identifies the person. The claim that once it is installed, crime is averted is a wrong impression. Nowadays, people have become bold and they commit crime on CCTV," the court said.
On May 2, 2013, an unidentified man flung acid on Preeti Rathi as she alighted at the Bandra station. She was supposed to join the Colaba Naval hospital INS Ashwini as a staff nurse.
Having suffered severe damage to lungs, she succumbed to the injuries on June 1 at Bombay Hospital.
The police had initially arrested a man called Pawan Ghelot, but he was later released.
