HC notice to HP govt, DGP in girl's suicide case

Observing that the petitioner should not be harassed in the name of investigation, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on Friday issued notices to the state government, Central Bureau of Investigation and state police chief on a man's plea for a probe by the central agency into his daughter's suicide last month.

Sampoorna Singh had alleged that his 21-year-old daughter, Ritu Kalmotia had committed suicide on March 28 allegedly after a senior police officer refused to accept her as prospective bride of the latter's son.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice R B Mishra directed the government, CBI and the state police chief to file a reply within two weeks.

The bench said investigation shall go on but in the garb of investigation, the petitioner

or his family should not be harassed. The case will come up for hearing next on April 28.

An FIR has been registered against Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Pardeep Kumar Sarpal, his wife and son Sidarth Sarpal. The IG has been charged with abetment to suicide and destroying evidence from the scene.

Ritu had hanged herself allegedly after the IG turned down a proposal for her marriage to his son with whom she had a relationship for the past many years. The state government had transferred the case to the CID from district police, but the victim's family has been insisting on a CBI probe.

Advocate Pankaj Bhardwaj, who had fought Ruchika Girhotra molestation case in Chandigarh in which former Haryana police chief SPS Rathore was convicted, is the counsel for the petitioner.