JUSTICE FOR PRIYADARSHINI
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CBI seeks death for Mattoo killer
Published on Thu, Sep 07, 2006 at 14:25, Updated on Thu, Sep 07, 2006 at 21:02 in India section
Tags: Priyadarshini Mattoo, Murder , New Delhi
New Delhi: Rapped by the Delhi High Court for botching up the Priyadarshini Mattoo case, the CBI has now demanded death penalty for Santosh Singh on the charges of rape and murder.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had hauled up the CBI, saying that important medical evidence related to the murder trial may have been tampered with.
The court had also questioned the CBI's logic in not subjecting Priyadarshini Mattoo's personal garments and swab material to a DNA test when the same analysis was used to match the blood and semen samples of the accused.
The court also asked the CBI to prove that the samples seized from the scene of offence were not tampered with.
The Bench comprising Justice R S Sodhi and Justice P K Bhasin, grilled Additional Solictor General (ASG), Amrinder Sharan, on the two issues for nearly two-and-half hours as the Government counsel sought to put a stout defence that neither were the samples tampered nor did the need arise for subjecting the deceased's samples to DNA test.
When the Bench asked the CBI as to why the samples were not sent for analysis, the ASG said that at time, DNA technology was available only in Hyderabad.
Sharan repeatedly asserted that the samples were sealed by the Safdarjung Hospital authorities before being sent to the Hyderabad-based Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD).
"You have failed to explain as to in whose custody the samples were kept from January 25 to 29. Was it in the custody of a chowkidar?" the Bench asked sarcastically, when the ASG sought to explain that the samples were kept in the custody of the Safdarjung Hospital.
The Bench also demanded proof from the ASG to show that the samples were actually sealed on January 25.
"Anything could have happened in the four days. It could have been sealed on January 29. Where is the proof that it was sealed on January 25 itself. That is the reason the trial court did not believe you," Justice Sodhi remarked.
When the ASG produced copies of the acknowledgement received from Dr Lalji Singh, Director of CDFD stating that the samples were received in a sealed form, the Bench stated that there was still no conclusive proof that the samples had not been tampered with in the four days that they were stored in Safdarjung Hospital.
Concluding the arguments on rape and murder charges, the CBI told the Division Bench that it will argue on the capital punishment later.
A third year law student, Priyadarshni Mattoo was raped and murdered in January 1996 at her residence in the Vasant Kunj area of south Delhi. The accused, Santosh Singh is the son of a senior IPS officer, J P Singh.
A Delhi trial court had acquitted Santosh Singh after giving him benefit of doubt.
(With inputs from PTI)
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