High Court Notes "Lapses" In Mumbai Police's Probe Into Murder Of ShivSena (UBT) Corporator During FB Live, Transfers Investigation To CBI

The Bombay High Court on Friday transferred the investigation in the murder case of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray Faction) corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Ghosalkar, 41, was shot dead during a Facebook Live by his political rival Mauris Noronha on February 8, 2024. Soon after the incident, Noronha too allegedly committed suicide.

Pointing several lapses in the initial investigation conducted by the Mumbai Police, Ghosalkar's widow Tejaswee had moved a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Shyam Chandak seeking transfer of the probe to either a special investigation team (SIT) or the CBI.

In one of the earlier hearings, Chief Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegavkar had informed the bench that the Mumbai Police has investigated the case from all possible angles and yet hasn't come across any possibility of a "pre-planned murder."

The bench had also viewed the CCTV footages of the incident and also the subsequent ones, in an "in-camera" proceedings. It had accordingly reserved its judgment on the petition.

On Friday, the bench pronounced the verdict, saying, "Since all angles are not investigated and there are certain lapses, the investigations in the case are transferred to the CBI."

A detailed copy of the order is yet to be made available.

The judges have ordered the CBI's zonal director to hand over the probe to an IPS officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police. It also ordered the Mumbai Police to hand over the papers of the case to the CBI within two weeks.

The bench has disposed of the plea, accordingly.