HC tells police to consider transfer of Provogue probe to CBI

A division bench of Justices A S Oka and A P Bhangale stayed the trial while hearing a petition filed by Chaturvedi, seeking transfer of the investigation into his complaint, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

It also observed that since serious allegations have been made in Chaturvedi's petition, the police should consider transferring the case to the CBI.

Chaturvedi was acquitted by a special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court in April 2009 for lack of evidence. After this development, Chaturvedi lodged a complaint against senior police inspector M B Ghatade and police inspector Subhash Kenjale of suburban Santacruz police station for implicating him in the case by planting evidence.

After an inquiry, the police officers were arrested and later granted bail, after which the duo filed for discharge in the case.

While staying the trial and hearing their discharge applications, the high court observed that since serious allegations have been made in Chaturvedi's petition, the police should consider transferring the case to the CBI.

On August 2, 2005, Santacruz Airport police had arrested Chaturvedi for allegedly possessing three vials of cocaine. It was alleged that they had arrested a person for calling in an intercepted consignment of cocaine, and he had purportedly revealed that the consignment was meant for Provogue's owner.