Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday wondered whether it would be appropriate for it to pursue the hearing on the "unnatural death" of IAS officer DK Ravi after the government has decided to handed over the case to CBI.
"The state government has handed over the matter to CBI, and hence when this is the case, is it appropriate for this court to pursue hearing in the case?" Justice Abdul Nazeer said.
Advocate General Ravivarma Kumar submitted the interim report of CID on the case before the court even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced its handing over to CBI in the Assembly early on Monday, bowing to mounting public pressure. The High Court had, in a special hearing at the residence of Justice Nazeer on Sunday, restrained the government from publishing any interim report, ahead of Siddaramaiah making an announcement in the Assembly.
The judge's order came on a petition filed by Sudhir Reddy, husband of an IAS officer and batchmate of Ravi, seeking restriction of publication of any interim report or making any public statement pertaining to investigation being conducted by the government through CID.
The government was toying with the idea of making public an interim report of CID in the Assembly. Making a general observation, Justice Nazeer said the interim report contains "half-baked truths" and any statement made against an individual can defame him or her until the final report is submitted. "If the final report gives a clean chit, will it not amount to needlessly defaming a person based on half-baked truth, that is the interim report," he observed.
Raising objections to the High Court restriction on government publishing any interim report, Kumar said under special laws, parliamentarians enjoy full powers to make statement on public issues in the Assembly.
"The parliamentarians under the law have full powers to publish the interim report or making any public statement pertaining to investigation. It can be made on the floor of the assembly," Kumar said.
Kumar also alleged that the petitioner and his wife have vested interest to derail the investigation via media trial.
"The petitioner and his wife have vested interest to derail the investigation by using the media who are relentlessly conducting trial against the government. Who are behind the petitioner? What is his intention? The court should address this and medial trial against the government," he submitted. Justice Nazeer posted the matter for Tuesday.
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