Kochi: Terming as "incomplete" and "improper"
Kerala Police`s probe into businessman Paul Muthoot`s murder,
the high court today handed over its investigation to CBI,
directing it to complete it in six months.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice S R Bannurmath
and Justice Thothathil B Radhakrishanan issued the directions
on a petition filed by M G George Muthoot, chairman of Muthoot
business group and Paul`s father, who had expressed
displeasure over the police probe and sought a CBI enquiry.
Holding that there was justification in the apprehensions
raised by the petitioner, the court said the victim of the
crime should also get justice.
Paul, scion of the Muthoot group, with diverse business
interests, was found murdered at Alapuzha on August 21 last
year.
The court said the interest of justice would be better
served if the CBI investigated the matter. It also directed
CBI to probe the case from all angles and said the agency can
also look into the materials given by the petitioner.
Though the final investigation report has been submitted
before the Ramankiri magistrate court in Alapuzha, the bench
directed police to hand over the investigation to CBI.
IGP Vinson M Paul, who headed the SIT, also came in for
flak from the bench for holding a press meet and giving a
detailed version within 34 hours of the incident.
"Where has he got the information," the bench asked. The
IGP was laying the foundation for the prosecution case even
before the post-mortem report was prepared and recovery of
material object, the court pointed out.
Holding that the press meet was `suspicious` and such
practices should be stopped, the bench said prima facie the
story given by the IGP was `incomplete`.
PTI
