Masjid firing case: Why is CBI ‘running off’, asks HC

The case pertains to death of seven persons in police firing inside a mosque in south Mumbai during 1992-93 communal riots.

The Bombay High Court on Monday asked the Government lawyer to explain why the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is “running off” from Hari Masjid police firing case.

The case pertains to death of seven persons in police firing inside a mosque in south Mumbai during 1992-93 communal riots.

Farooq Mhapkar, a survivor of the firing has moved the High Court, seeking CBI inquiry. Maharashtra government is agreeable to this, but CBI is not willing to take up the case.

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“Why the agency is running off from the case? In other cases you rush to investigate…Here seven persons have died

but you are aloof,” said division bench of Justices F I Rebello and Ashutosh Kumbhakoni.

The State Government issued a notification last year, handing over the case to CBI. But the agency told the High Court that its hands were already full, and it cannot investigate a 15-year-old case in which special task force had already given the police a clean chit.

Shrikrishna commission that probed the 1993 riots had blamed police sub-inspector Nikhil Kapse’s team for opening fire without any provocation. But departmental enquiry found that police were not at fault.

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On the other hand, police have filed a case of rioting against Mhapkar.

The Court on Monday said that it will examine whether CBI can refuse to take over a case despite a request from the State Government. The hearing has been adjourned till October 7.