The SIT shall file status reports every fortnight, the judge said. (File)
Unhappy with the probe being done by the CBI and the State CB CID, the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the murder of KN Ramajeyam of Tiruchirappalli, brother of DMK minister KN Nehru.
There is no breakthrough in the case even after 10 years from the date of occurrence of the murder, Justice V Bharathidasan noted.
The SIT shall consist of both the State Police and the Central agency, headed by Tuticorin SP S Jeyakumar and it would commence the probe afresh, the judge said.
The judge was passing interim orders on a petition filed by Ramajayam's another brother KN Ravichandran seeking handing over of the investigation back to the State Police.
The judge directed Mohammed Shakeel Akhter, DGP of CB-CID, to monitor the investigation to be conducted by the SIT.
"Though almost ten years have elapsed, the premier investigating wing of the State and the Centre -- CB CID and the CBI -- could not even find out the motive behind the murder. It is a very unfortunate situation," the judge observed.
Transferring the probe from CBI to the State police would not serve any useful purpose, as prayed by the petitioner, the judge said. An SIT, consisting of dedicated and efficient officers, could alone break the ice and bring the case to its logical end at the earliest, he added.
Senior counsel NR Elango appeared for the petitioner while State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah represented the State.
The SIT shall file status reports every fortnight, the judge added and directed that the first report be filed on March 7. He also directed the Registry to place the matter before the Acting Chief Justice as requested by the petitioner's senior counsel.
Ramajayam was found dead with the body lying tied and bundled on the banks of the Cauvery river on March 29, 2012.
The murder shook the Delta region and the CB CID was clueless even though probing in several angles. The investigation was handed over to the CBI in 2017 by the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court. However, no breakthrough could be achieved in the probe even by the Central agency.