HC modifies order directing CB-CID to probe student’s suicide

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday modified its July 18 order directing the Crime Branch – Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) to investigate the suspicious deaths of students in schools and colleges across the State.

Justice N Sathish Kumar passed the direction on hearing a petition by the state police department to review the court’s order passed in the month of July after the suspicious death of a Class 12 girl in a private school in Kaniyamoor village in Kallakurichi district.

State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah submitted that after the order passed the by HC, the DGP ordered the CB-CID probe in at least 11 student unnatural death cases across the state.

Pointing out the hectic situation of CB-CID, the PP informed the court that due to the order, the CB-CID is struggling to deal with other special cases. “CB-CID is constituted to probe the special cases. The DGP used to order CB-CID to take up such cases based on their significance. With the order of HC, the other duties and investigation of the CB-CID are being interrupted, ” the PP noted.

The police department also flagged the court’s other direction that no arrest should be made in the unnatural deaths of students till the education department is completing its inquiry.

“If the arrests were made only after the education department’s inquiry is over, the accused could tamper evidence, ” the PP noted.

Recording the submissions, the judge modified the order and he observed that the DGP shall take a call in ordering the CB-CID probe into students’ unnatural death. He also noted that the police shall launch an investigation and take action on the basis of the nature of the case. Justice Sathish Kumar did not bar the education department from investigating into the students’ death cases.