Firing Outside Salman Khan's House: Plea By Accused's Mother In Punjab & Haryana HC Seeks CBI Probe Into Accused's Custodial Death

The mother of the accused in the firing outside Salman Khan's house case, who is alleged to have committed suicide in Mumbai police's lock-up has moved the Punjab & Haryana High Court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged custodial death and for re-conduct of post-mortem.

The Mumbai Police has claimed that deceased Anuj Kumar was one of the four accused arrested by the crime branch in connection with the firing outside the Mumbai residence of actor Salman Khan on April 14. Days after the arrest, Kumar alleged to have committed suicide in the police lock-up.

Reeta Devi, a resident of Punjab's village states the reason for the urgent listing is that the body is lying at the house and she wants to conduct a fresh post-mortem.

The matter was listed before Justice Vinod S. Bhardhwaj on Tuesday after the request for urgent listing was allowed.

Kumar was booked under stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) and arrested on April 23. The plea states that the Mumbai Court had remanded him in police custody till May 08.

"As the son of the petitioner is died in police custody and there are so many leaders and influencial persons who gave the statement before death, the possibility of involvement of police can be there," the petition adds.

It has been submitted that the earlier postmortem was conducted in Mumbai under the control of the same police force in whose custody Kumar died, and the police declared it a suicide. Therefore, for a proper and just investigation, the re-conduct of the postmortem is necessary in the interest of justice.

Furthermore, the plea states that the application was given to SDM Abohar for re-conducting of the postmortem but the authorities have refused the same without the orders of the High Court.

In light of the above, the petitioner also seeks directions to appoint a retired Judge to oversee and conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances leading to the demise of Kumar.

Title: Reeta Devi v. UOI & Ors.