CBI to reinvestigate RTI activist Satish Shetty murder case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday told the Bombay high court that it will reinvestigate the 2010 murder of Pune-based RTI activist Satish Shetty and the case would now be handled by the Delhi branch of the agency.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday told the Bombay high court that it will reinvestigate the 2010 murder of Pune-based RTI activist Satish Shetty and the case would now be handled by the Delhi branch of the agency.

The division bench headed by justice VK Tahilramani was hearing a petition filed by Shetty's brother Sandeep Shetty, which alleges irregularities in the CBI probe and seeks prosecution of a former CBI director and a special director.

SP Singh, the investigating officer, was pressurised by superiors to file a closure report in the case, it alleges.

CBI's lawyer Hiten Venegaonkar on Monday informed the court that the present CBI Director had decided that the case will be re-investigated and the probe will be carried out by CBI Delhi's special crime branch instead of its Pune branch.

In December 2014, CBI has filed a closure report in metropolitan court, saying it did not have enough evidence against the accused. Sandeep has challenged this closure report.

His petition states that till February 2014, the CBI investigating officer maintained they were on the right track, but later he seemed to be under "tremendous pressure" and someone was "jeopardising the probe".

Shetty was stabbed to death near his house on January 13, 2010. The case was transfered to CBI on April 6, 2010 after Sandeep Shetty had moved the HC.