DSP Vishnupriya no coward; HC censures CJM for remark

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court, on Thursday, censured the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Coimbatore, who while closing the case in the CBI investigation into the death of DSP Vishnupriya, termed her a coward for committing suicide. “The lower court ought to have refrained from using such language and uncalled-for observation. In this case, there is no justification for such connotations,” Justice M Nirmal Kumar stated and directed that the portions in the lower court’s order be deleted.

The High Court, however, did not interfere in the lower court’s order, dated January 9, 2020, accepting the closure reports filed by the CBI which ruled out abetment to suicide. The High Court’s directions were in response to a petition by the parents of the late Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to set aside the lower court’s order accepting the closure reports filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

R Vishnupriya was serving as Tiruchengode DSP in Namakkal district when she died by suicide at her residence-cum- camp office on September 18, 2015. She was the investigating officer in the sensational Gokulraj murder case, who was murdered two months before the DSP’s death.

Gokulraj, an engineering graduate from the Scheduled Caste community was murdered by a gang after he was seen with his woman friend, R Swathi. Gokulraj was abducted on June 23 by the gang including Yuvaraj, founder of Dheeran Chinnamalai Gounder Peravai. Gokulraj was found dead with his head severed and the body dumped on the railway tracks. Ten persons including Yuvaraj were sentenced to life by a special court under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act last year.

While there is a temporary closure in the blatant murder of Gokulraj by members of a caste outfit, the suicide of the investigating officer, R Vishnupriya, also a Dalit, created ripples in the State. According to the petition by her parents before the courts, then Namakkal SP Senthil Kumar and higher officers exerted pressure on their daughter to make false arrests in the case. Vishnupriya’s suicide was initially handled by the CB-CID and then handed over to the CBI, which held that there was no abetment in the suicide of Vishnupriya.

CBI counsel too agrees to expunge CJM remarks

The CBI had filed a closure report, first in April 2018 and after some grey areas were pointed out by the lower court, the second closure report was filed in August 2019, which supposedly addressed the issues flagged by the court. While accepting CBI’s closure report, the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Coimbatore stated, “The deceased was a coward and instead of facing the problem in the family or department, she perished like an unsuccessful woman in life foolishly.” “The lower court has given a verdict on assumption and presumption and on personal opinion rather than deciding the case based on materials on records,” counsel for Vishnupriya’s parents submitted in their petition. The counsel for CBI too had agreed that the improper reference made against the deceased can be deleted. After perusing the submissions from both sides, Justice M Nirmal Kumar held that such remarks are not a requirement for deciding the case and directed that the portions in the lower court’s order using unnecessary language be deleted. “The grievance of the petitioners concerning the CBI investigation is answered and the lower court’s decision to close the case needs no interference,” the court held.CBI counsel too agrees to expunge CJM remarks

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1: The CBI had filed a closure report, first in April 2018 and after some grey areas were pointed out by the lower court, the second closure report was filed in August 2019, which supposedly addressed the issues flagged by the court. While accepting CBI’s closure report, the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Coimbatore stated, “The deceased was a coward and instead of facing the problem in the family or department, she perished like an unsuccessful woman in life foolishly.” “The lower court has given a verdict on assumption and presumption and on personal opinion rather than deciding the case based on materials on records,” counsel for Vishnupriya’s parents submitted in their petition. The counsel for CBI too had agreed that the improper reference made against the deceased can be deleted. After perusing the submissions from both sides, Justice M Nirmal Kumar held that such remarks are not a requirement for deciding the case and directed that the portions in the lower court’s order using unnecessary language be deleted. “The grievance of the petitioners concerning the CBI investigation is answered and the lower court’s decision to close the case needs no interference,” the court held.