Telangana HC orders CBI probe into death of Suryapet law graduate

The Telangana High Court has ordered a CBI probe into the death of a young law graduate from Suryapet, noting inconsistencies in the police investigation and apprehensions raised by the victim’s family.

By Our Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: Justice N. Tukaramji of the Telangana High Court has handed over the probe into the death of a young law graduate from Suryapet to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), observing that the case is riddled with inconsistencies and that the circumstances have created a reasonable apprehension in the mind of the victim’s family about the fairness of the investigation.

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The writ petition was filed by Dharavath Bhaskar, father of Nikhil, who went missing on October 9, 2022, and whose body was found floating in the NSP canal two days later. The petitioner alleged that his son’s death was not a suicide but a murder and accused the police of prematurely treating the case as one of suicide without conducting a proper investigation.

The Court noted that the FIR and inquest proceedings recorded several injuries on the body, particularly around the neck, raising a strong suspicion of foul play. It also found fault with the investigation, noting delays in securing electronic evidence, conflicting medical opinions and failure to adequately examine the angle of a caste-based crime, as the deceased belonged to a Scheduled Tribe community.

Observing that a mere transfer of the case to the CID would not dispel the apprehensions surrounding the investigation, Justice Tukaramji directed the CBI to conduct a fresh and comprehensive probe, including examination of the possibility of murder, destruction of evidence, caste motive, call records, digital evidence and CCTV footage. The Court directed that the investigation be completed preferably within six months.