CHENNAI: The Chief Bench of the Madras High Court directed the State government to complete within three months the investigation into the incident where human faeces were found inside a water tank at Vengaivayal in Pudukkottai district.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad heard the petition filed by K Rajkamal, seeking to direct the government to transfer the Vengaivayal investigation from the Crime Branch-CID to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The incident happened in December 2022, but the State police is yet to make any substantial progress in the case.

The counsel for the petitioner contended that the CB-CID was conducting the investigation in a perfunctory manner and added that it was not progress. Hence, to express their displeasure, the people of Vengaivayal have decided to boycott the ensuing Parliament election, the counsel said.

Following this, the court asked the government why the investigation was not completed despite commencing the investigation in January last year. In reply, the government counsel said that the investigation agency has recorded statements of 337 witnesses and also conducted polygraph tests in some case.

The State also assured that the investigation would be completed within three months. Recording this, the bench posted the matter to July 3, for compliance of court’s order.