Angered by slow probe, judges set two-day deadline for police

The division bench comprising Justice S Nagamuthu and Justice V Bharathidasan, on observing as to whether the case was transferred only after the court’s warning of suo motu proceedings said, “The young girl was murdered in a gruesome manner on Friday and until Monday no breakthrough has emerged. Media reports clearly reveal lack of coordination and infighting between the State police and the railway police.” “We will give two days’ time. If we feel there is still slackness, we will take suo motu proceedings after Chief Justice’s concurrence”, the bench warned. 

Also, pointing out that the court has a social responsibility and it cannot confine itself only to the cases before it, the bench said, “It was pathetic that Swathi’s body was lying for two hours on the platform without even being covered, while as per the Constitution even a dead person has a right to dignity. Why was her body lying like an exhibition for more than two hours? It speaks volumes about how police act under such circumstances. Why should it take so much time for police to do the formalities”, the bench asked the Public Prosecutor. 

Further, raising the question as to why no CCTV was installed in the railway station when it was neither a difficult nor costly affair, the judges said, “To induce one’s thinking, we have made a person to lay down her life.”