Court Demands Evidence in Custodial Death Case, Warns of CBI Intervention

The Allahabad High Court criticized the handling of a 2009 custodial death case in Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri district, indicating possible CBI involvement if missing video and photographic evidence are not submitted. The court questioned the investigation's fairness and demanded an affidavit from a magistrate present at the scene.

The Allahabad High Court has voiced its displeasure over the investigation process and missing evidence in a 2009 custodial death case from Mainpuri district, Uttar Pradesh. The bench, consisting of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Siddhartha Nandan, highlighted the absence of crucial videographic and photographic evidence in the state's submissions.

The court suggested that if such evidence is not presented by the next hearing, it may request the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to intervene for evidence recovery. This statement followed a PIL by the Association for Advocacy and Legal Initiatives, with the court's remarks emphasizing the investigation's lack of fairness due to an unclear chain of evidence.

Furthermore, the court ordered then-subdivisional magistrate Karmendra Singh to submit an affidavit regarding the videography conducted in his presence, threatening possible actions if non-compliant. The subsequent hearing is slated for May 5.

(With inputs from agencies.)