Delhi high court pulls up police over 'tardy' Tanwar murder probe

The Delhi high court on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction with the 'tardy' police probe into the sensational Tanwar murder case and directed the crime branch to furnish all available facts and investigation reports to the court within two weeks.

Posting the matter for further hearing on August 21, a division bench consisting of Chief Justice Ajay Prakash Misra and Justice Dalveer Bhandari asked the counsel for the Delhi police to file an affidavit listing efforts made by them in the case.

The judges observed that the information submitted to the court has not given a complete picture of the investigation. It has only added to the confusion created by several allegations regarding involvement of 'higher-ups' in the October 28, 1993 murder of Central Government Health Scheme doctor Surendra Tanwar.

The high court made these observations during the hearing of a public interest petition filed by All India Young Lawyers's Association. The petition sought the transfer of the probe to the CBI.

The association has contended that the Delhi police is deliberately going slow in the matter due to ''political pressure''.

The police, in its first status report submitted to the court in April 1997, said that Dr Tanwar was known to several politicians, including Congress president Sitaram Kesri.

The court said issues like threatening calls received by Dr Tanwar need to be further investigated.

The government counsel said he had already filed counter-affidavits listing the efforts made and there was nothing further required to be done in the investigation.

The counsel said, ''We have conducted all possible investigation and put every thing on record. More than 200 people have been interrogated in this connection.''

However, he said, if directed he was ready to present all records before the court.

The court observed that serious allegations were being made about the murder as the government has failed to come up with proper facts and records.

UNI