Guj HC disposes plea seeking re-investigation in Haren Pandya murder

The Gujarat High Court today disposed off petition seeking re-investigations in the murder of former Gujarat minister Haren Pandya, on the ground that an appeal in this regard was pending with the apex court.

Justice Ananat S Dave disposed off the petition that was filed by Pandya's wife Jagruti after the CBI and the state government filed their respective replies, as directed by the court last month.

In their replies, the CBI and state government have said they have challenged in Supreme Court the judgement of HC dropping murder charges against 12 convicted in the case and raising doubts on the investigations by CBI.

Court disposed off Jagruti's petition on the grounds that the matter cannot be heard when appeals in connection to the same was pending in the SC.

Jagruti had filed petition in September last year after a division bench of the High Court had dropped murder charges against 12 convicted in the case and criticised the CBI probe calling it 'botched up' and 'blinkered'.

While dropping murder charges, HC had however, upheld the charges of criminal conspiracy and terrorism under POTA against them awarded by the trial court.

Pandya, a former minister of state for home in Gujarat's BJP government, was shot dead on March 26, 2003, near Law Garden area of the city when he had gone for a morning walk.