CBI to re-examine its appeal in Mattoo case

CBI will re-examine its appeal and press for early hearing of its review petition in the Mattoo case.

CBI will re-examine its appeal and press for early hearing of its review petition in the case pertaining to the rape and murder of college student Priyadarshani Mattoo in 1996.

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Priyadarshini, a third-year law student, was raped and strangled to death in the bedroom of her south Delhi flat on January 23, 1996 and main accused, Santosh Kumar Singh, son of IPS officer JP Singh, was acquitted by the District and Sessions Judge GP Thareja on December three, 1999.

"I am as concerned as a prosecuting agency that a matter in which an accused was acquitted and my appeal is pending for last six year. I am as much at unease as would the father of Priyadarshani be with this kind of dispensation of justice," CBI Director Vijay Shanker told reporters.

Shanker said he would also re-examine the review petition.

CBI, which appealed against the order of the lower court in the Delhi High Court in 2000 was consulting legal experts so that the review petition could be heard quickly.

Additional Director ML Sharma who looks after Special Crimes, was the joint director when the case was being investigated by the CBI.

While releasing Singh, the Judge had said in his order that "though I know he is the man who committed the crime I acquit him, giving him benefit of doubt".

Following a public outcry, the CBI appealed against the district court's verdit and also filed a petition in 2001 for an early hearing.