Bombay high court disposes of petition by Priti Rathi's father seeking CBI probe

After being informed by the additional public prosecutor that the accused had been arrested as well as chargesheeted for flinging acid on 24-yer-old Priti Rathi on May 2 last, the high court disposed of the petition filed by her father seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the case.

The division bench of justices NH Patil and Abhay Thipsay disposed of the petition by Amar Singh Rathi, who had knocked the door of HC saying he had no faith in the current investigation, which had not progressed even after three months.

Additional public prosecutor Aruna Kamath-Pai informed the court that the police had arrested and chargesheeted one Pawankumar Gahlan for the acid attack on Priti. Following the statement, the judges disposed of the petition.

The Delhi resident, Priti Rathi, had come to Mumbai to join the Colaba naval hospital as a staff nurse. As soon as she alighted at Bandra terminus, an unidentified man threw acid on her face. Priti suffered severe damage to her lungs and succumbed to her injuries on June 1 at Bombay Hospital. She was cremated in her hometown, Narela, on June 4.

Priti had been selected for short service commission in the military nursing service and was asked to report at the naval hospital on May 15. The police, after arresting a person, later released him as they weren't sure he was the real culprit.

According to the petition filed by Amar Singh Rathi, "The respondent has not shown any interest in investigating the matter, and so it creates doubt that the respondent is having personal interest in the case or is being influenced by the accused persons and was therefore delaying the matter. If this is the speed of investigation in such a serious matter, then the accused will be encouraged to commit such crimes without fear."