Karthikeyan refuses OSD offer

CHENNAI, April 14: DR Karthikeyan, who retired as CBI Director in March this year, has reportedly declined the offer of the post of Officer ...

CHENNAI, April 14: DR Karthikeyan, who retired as CBI Director in March this year, has reportedly declined the offer of the post of Officer on Special Duty of the Special Investigation Team SIT which probed the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Highly placed sources told The Indian Express that Karthikeyan was made the offer to continue to head the SIT despite his retirement, but he is said to have expressed his inability to accept the offer. The SIT was set up in May 1991 following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.

Meanwhile, the government has now asked CBI Additional Director, Delhi, G Gopalachari to be in-charge of the SIT. Gopalachari was already looking after the affairs of the SIT when Karthikeyan became CBI Director.

The SIT has completed investigations into the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and the designated court, Poonamalee, has sentenced all the 26 persons charged by the SIT to death. It is not known if the SIT will be wound up formally.

Sources said the SIT will continue to functiontill the appeal in the Supreme Court against the verdict of the designated court, Poonamalee is disposed off.

It is learnt that following the final report of the Jain Commission, which is yet to be made public, the government will soon decide if the SIT needs to exist. However, weighing on top of its mind is the recommendation of the Jain Commission, which is believed to have directed the SIT to further probe the links of the Dravidar Kazhagam activists and the role of former DMK minister Subbulakshmi Jagadeeshan in allegedly arranging for the escape of one-eyed jack Sivarasan during his run from the police.

Sivarasan is said to be involved both in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination and the murder of EPRLF leader Padmanabha. The Jain Commission has also asked the SIT to probe the leads that have not been followed during the investigations into the Rajiv Gandhi assassination.

Also, the government is studying if other special assignments could be given to the SIT of the CBI.

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When contacted over telephone,Karthikeyan maintained that he had not asked for any post. He said nothing specific had been offered to him. However, quot;I will wait for two months to decide about my future. Presently, I am attending farewells. The government has just settled and moreover, I have never had a holiday in a long time.quot;

The former CBI director said that he had written to the Madras Bar Council seeking permission to resume his practice. quot;I was a lawyer and had practiced about 34 years ago. The permission is expected in a week8217;s time.quot;