The Tribune, July 6, 1998

Karnal, July 5 - The CBI seems to have washed its hands off the sensationalMadhu murder case of Karnal.

The case which had generated a lot of controversy and fear among residents of Karnal, was referred to the CBI by the Haryana Government on a request made by Dr. G. D. Sharma, elder brother of Mr. V. D. Sharma, SDO (PWD), Karnal, who was also injured in an armed attack alongwith his wife by the intruders on the night of July 31 last year.

Madhu, wife of the SDO, and their son, Munna (8 years) were beaten to death by armed desperadeus, while another son of the SDO was injured in the attack.

Politicians of various parties including Bhajan Lal and Mr. Om Prakash Chautala (both former ministers) as well as a number of MPs, MLAs and other prominent public figures, had visited the residence of Dr. G.D. Sharma to express their anguish over the ghastly incident.

The local police was so shaken with the open criticismboth by the public and the politicians that it lost no time in arresting a gang of five Bawarias. The police had handled the case in a hotch-potch manner and left many loopholes in the investigations,

The Haryana Government had referred the matter to the CBI, but for a long period the CBI seems to have taken no action in the case.

Distraught over the inordinate delay on the part of the CBI to take up the investigation, Mr. Azad Kaushik, brother of Madhu, who is a visiting professor in the USA, took up the matter with the Embassy of India in Washington D.C.

Mr. Kaushik in his letter of February 15, 1998, requested the Indian Embassy to intervene to expedite the investigation by the CBI.

The Indian Embassy took up the case with the CBI and the Embassy Counsel, Mr. Ajit Lal, vide his letter dated May 18, 1998, informed Mr. Kaushik that the "present resources of the CBI are over-stretched" and therefore, it would be difficult for it to take up the investigation.

The CBI in its letter to the Embassy stated that "the matter has been carefully examined by the CBI." The Government of Haryana appears to be fully seized of the matter. It may be seen that the incident occurred on July 31, 1997. The local police had already finalised the investigation. The CBI letter further states that "as will be readily appreciated the nature of the case is such as the local police can handle it more effectively.

The CBI has also concluded that the case has no inter-state ramifications. Moreover, its hands are full because of the existing commitments arising out of a number of cases entrusted by the High Courts and state governments.

In the past the CBI had always not been handling the cases only with inter-state ramifications. For instance, the Yamunanagar rape case and the Bhutmajara abduction case, which had no interstate ramifications have also been handled by the CBI.

Dr. G.D. Sharma told TNS that he intended to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the matter to seek justice and directions to the CBI for taking up the matter.