File Photo: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today rejected opposition demand for a CBI probe into the suicide of a 27-year-old woman Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and asserted that the state Crime Branch-CID would handle the investigation into the case 'impartially'.
"The suicide of (DSP) Vishnupriya is not a very complicated case warranting a CBI probe. CB-CID would expeditiously handle the case in an impartial manner," she said in the assembly replying to opposition members, who raised the issue.
Vishnupriyar, the DSP of Tiruchengode in Namakkal District, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself on September 18.
Her family and one of her batchmates had alleged that she took the extreme step due to harassment by superiors in connection with a case related to the murder of a Dalit youth, which she was investigating, a charge denied by police.
Several opposition parties, including DMK, have demanded a CBI investigation into the case.
The issue was raised in the assembly today by the opposition with DMK's EV Velu and CPI-M member A Soundararajan making a mention.
Citing the CBI probe ordered into the suicide of an IAS officer in neighbouring Karnataka, Mr Velu said the DSP case also should be probed by the central agency.
Responding to the demand, Ms Jayalalithaa said, "There is no need for a CBI inquiry into her suicide, this case and the Gokulraj murder case which Vishnupriya was handling have been transferred to CB-CID probe,"
She said it was "a wrong opinion" to say that only the CBI probe would go in the right direction and not the CB-CID investigation.
She listed cases probed by the CB-CID such as the killing of teenaged boy Dilshan by a retired army officer a few years ago and how the state agency had successfully handled them.
The Chief Minister also mentioned cases handled by CBI like the harassment charges against Udumalpet Police by a woman and said such cases were pending.
"The opinion that only the CBI probe would be honest is not correct and I would like to remind that a former CBI Director has been arraigned in an important case and it is in the Supreme Court," Ms Jayalalithaa said.