Even as the Bombay High Court on Thursday gave indications about its intention to transfer the probe into the alleged custodial murder of Ghatkopar bomb blast accused Khwaja Yunus to the CBI, Yunus’ family members are already in the process of making such a plea before the court for the same.
Peeved by the soft paddling attitude of the government in bringing the culprit policemen to justice, Yunus’ family is now planning to make an application in the High Court, for the second time in the past two years, to transfer the investigation of the case to the CBI.
“Little can be expected from this government which in itself is the main culprit of the murder case. They fear that they will be thoroughly exposed if the case is investigated in the right earnest. That is why they are delaying the investigation,” Khwaja Laeequddin, brother-in-law of Khwaja Yunus told Hindustan Times over the telephone from Parvani on Wednesday.
Laeequiddin, who spoke on behalf of Yunus’ mother Asiya, as she was observing fast during Ramadan, said that Yunus’ late father Khwaja Ayub had moved a petition in the High Court in April 2003, seeking a probe into his son’s alleged disappearance.
However, in May that year, the state government decided to hand over the investigation to the CID. “It was a deliberate move. Had the CBI taken over the case, it would have done its job by now and taken action all those involved in the murder. This would certainly have gone against the state government, or the home department in particular, which is the custodian of the culprit officers,” Laeequiddin reasoned.
{{/usCountry}}However, in May that year, the state government decided to hand over the investigation to the CID. “It was a deliberate move. Had the CBI taken over the case, it would have done its job by now and taken action all those involved in the murder. This would certainly have gone against the state government, or the home department in particular, which is the custodian of the culprit officers,” Laeequiddin reasoned.
{{/usCountry}}The very fact that all those arrested in the Ghatkopar blast case of December 2, 2002 were acquitted by the court and the High Court had withdrawn the FIR lodged by API Sachin Vaze in Parner police station about Yunus’ disappearance, came as a proof that the entire case was fabricated by the police, Laeequiddin stated. “This also proves beyond doubt that Yunus was murdered,” he added.
“Why is the government delaying the investigation when the court has already accepted the murder? This shows the government wants to shield the culprits, for reasons known to everyone,” he added.
Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi said that he had engaged a panel of lawyers to “see to it that justice is done to the bereaved family.”
debashish.panigrahi@hindustantimes.com