SC says no to CBI probe into Itishree murder case

)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today refused to direct Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct inquiry into the high profile Tikiri lady teacher murder case and asked the State government to initiate stringent actions against the delinquent officilas.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by the Chief Justice P.Sathasivam, acting on a PIL seeking CBI probe into the whole episode, had completed the hearing on March 5 and reserved the verdict in the case.

The lady teacher- Itishree Pradhan- of Tikiri primary school of Rayagada district was set afire by unidentified miscreants in October last year. She was admitted to Rayagada hospital with severe burn injuries and later shifted to SevenHills hospital in Vishakhapatnam where she succumbed to her injuries.

While the State government ordered Crime Branch inquiry, a Bangalore based Law student filed a PIL in the apex court seeking an investigation by an independent agency like CBI. He cited in his petition that the powerful political leaders of the district were allegedly involved in case.

On the other hand, State government’s counsel opposed the transfer of the investigation of the case to CBI on the ground that the state Crime Branch had done a through probe and submitted a charge sheet against the prime accused.

Notably, the State Government sacked school SI Netrananda Dandasena, DI Dharanidhar Behera, Tikiri PS IIC Sujit Kumar Sai and ASI Muralidhar Pradhan from the job in the case. The Crime Branch, which is conducting the investigation, has filed chargesheet against main accused Dandasena and three others so far.