The 16-year-old Sister Abhaya murder case took a startling twist on Monday with the CBI stating that a former chief justice of the Karnataka high court, who is currently a judge in the Supreme Court, had viewed the CDs of the narco-analysis test conducted on the two Catholic priests and a nun accused in the case, and appreciated the work done by forensic experts. The judge had visited the lab in May 2008.
Although the CBI’s counsel S Sreekumar did not take any name, it was clear that the reference was to Justice Cyriac Joseph, former CJ of the Karnataka HC, and now a judge in the Supreme Court.
The counsel was replying to a contempt petition which accused the CBI of not complying with the court’s direction to probe the authenticity of the narco-analysis CDs. “In its defence, the agency, which has taken the stand that the CDs were genuine, referred to a statement made by Dr S Malini, the former director of the Bangalore Forensic Sciences Lab, where the accused were put to test. Malini, who was quizzed about the genuineness of the tapes, had said the judge had visited the laboratory on May 23, 2008, and viewed the CDs and lauded the work,’’ said advocate A X Verghese, who is the counsel for Abhaya’s father. Justice Cyriac Joseph was then CJ of Karnataka HC. There were records to prove the visit, the CBI counsel said, and added that the judge had also seen the narco-analysis being conducted on a terror accused. Malini, he said, had denied charges that the CDs were doctored, saying it was verified by none other than a senior judge.
Reacting to the CBI’s disclosure, Verghese said the judge’s visit was “very strange and mysterious’’. “It was unwarranted, especially when there’s a controversy regarding the case and a suspicion against Dr Malini,’’ he added. Malini was grilled thrice about the tapes and it was during the last interrogation she made this claim, Sreekumar said.
courtesy:Timesofindia
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