Shimla: Not ruling out a CBI inquiry into the suicide of a young woman that involves a senior police official, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal stated that the matter needed to be first investigated by the state police.
Responding to a media query, the chief minister said the state police investigation was necessary lest the case meet the fate of another case which involved investigation into the death of a revenue official in Una district who along with his family was allegedly burnt alive at his residence, a few years ago. In that case too a CBI investigation was sought but was never done as the premier agency declined to take up case.
CBI declined to the state’s request after a year’s delay, which hindered investigations into circumstances leading to the death of official and it was now being closed as an untraced case, said Dhumal.
The chief minister acknowledged that both Samporan Singh Kalmotia, father of Ritu Kalmotia (27) who was a college teacher and was found dead by hanging from a ceiling fan at her residence on March 28 and Pradeep Sarpal, the Inspector General (Law and Order) who is alleged to have tampered with evidence at the suicide site, had met him in connection with the case.
“I did let the father of the girl know that the government was not averse to a CBI inquiry but the state police needed to do its job first. If they were not satisfied with the inquiry report after it is submitted then the case could be referred to the central agency,†said Dhumal.
Meanwhile Saparal, on Tuesday proceeded on long leave as his role for alleged destruction of evidence after the girl had committed suicide is being inquired into by the state CID.
Ritu is said to have committed suicide after her marriage proposal to Sidharth Sarpal, a sub-judge and son of Pradeep Sarpal, was turned down by the boy’s parents.
Ritu and Sidharth were in a long standing relationship and on a complaint by the girl’s family, a FIR involving Sections 306 and 201 of the IPC was lodged against the police officer, his wife and son about abetment of suicide and destroying of evidence from the scene.
Pradeep Sarpal along with local police is said to have broken into Ritu’s house on March 28 to find the girl dead. At the time no other family member was in the house. The girl’s family alleges that Ritu’s diary, which was a record of events, was missing and no suicide note was recovered.
Dissatisfied with the governments’ decision into asking the state police to inquire into the conduct of a senior police officer of their own force, the girls’ family had sought a CBI probe into the case.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
