Junaid Khan lynching case: CBI tells court it cannot take over probe
The court was hearing arguments on a plea by Junaid Khan’s father, who wants an independent investigation.
The Central Bureau of Investigation told the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday that it cannot take over the investigation of the murder of Junaid Khan as the case was “at a crucial stage”, The Indian Express reported.
On June 22, the 16-year-old Khan and three of his brothers had boarded a local train at Delhi’s Sadar Bazar Station. A fight broke out between the brothers and a few passengers over seats. The incident turned communal after a mob allegedly called the four “anti-nationals” and “beef eaters” and threw their skull caps on the floor. The 16-year-old was killed in the fight, while his brothers were hospitalised with stab wounds.
The High Court is hearing a plea filed by Khan’s father, who had asked for the Central Bureau of Investigation to take over the probe. The case is currently being heard by a trial court in Faridabad. In October, the Faridabad trial court judge YS Rathore had accused Additional Advocate General Naveen Kaushik of assisting the counsel for the accused, which led to Kaushik resigning from the government panel of lawyers.
On Wednesday, the central agency told the court the state police of Haryana was equipped to investigate the case. “The case has, in fact, been chargesheeted by Haryana Police,” CBI’s counsel Sumeet Goel told a bench of Justice Rajan Gupta.
The bureau also said the case did not meet Supreme Court-issued guidelines for transfer from the state police, and that it was already burdened with other cases given to it by courts and state governments.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Haryana Deputy Superintendent of Police (Railways) Mohinder Singh told the court that a “secret informer” had told the police about Khan’s father allegedly asking for Rs 2 crore and three acres of land from the accused to settle the matter – an issue that came up during the previous hearing.
Denying this claim, the family said it was a “rumour” and an “attempt to put pressure” on them.
Meawhile, the trial court in Faridabad recorded accounts from five prosecution witnesses. It will hear the case again on November 27, 28 and 29, The Indian Express reported.