HC transfers Nikhil Rane murder probe to CBI

The Bombay High Court on Thursday transferred investigation of the murder of Pune builder Nikhil Rane to the CBI.

The Bombay High Court on Thursday transferred investigation of the murder of Pune builder Nikhil Rane to the CBI. It also enquired about steps taken by the state government to strengthen its police force and other departments to cope with the increasing population.

Rane was shot at on November 23,2009 and succumbed to injuries in Punes Sancheti Hospital. However,last year,when investigations had made no breakthrough,his wife Ashwini moved the High Court seeking a transfer of the probe to another investigating agency.

The court remarked that complex cases like these are better handled by the CBI. They said that the transfer of investigation would not be a blotch on the record of the Pune police. However,the CBI would be better equipped to handle the case.

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Stating that the police machinery was strained owing to the influx of people from other states and countries like Bangladesh in cities like Mumbai and Pune,a Division Bench of Justices B H Marlapalle and U D Salvi asked the government to tell the court how many police officers,state-level officers (recruited through the Maharashtra Public Services Commission) and officers of the Indian Administrative Services were recruited by the government between 2001 and 2011.

Justice Marlapalle also said a number of policemen are deployed for protection of VIPs,as a result of which there is a shortage of policemen required for other operations.

The court also said the police protection is becoming a status symbol for some VIPs. The court sought the number of policemen recruited in various branches of the state police force like the Crime Branch and the Anti-Terrorism Squad.

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