Maha CM has no time to review rationalists' killing cases: HC

The Bombay High Court Thursday expressed displeasure over the pace of probe into the killing of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, asking whether the chief minister did not have time to take stock of the cases.

It is "shameful" that almost every investigation requires the court's intervention, a bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and B P Colabawala said.

The CBI is probing the Dabholkar killing case, while the state CID is probing the Pansare case.

"What is the CM doing? He holds 11 portfolios, including Home, but does not find the time to take stock of the case. His deputies do not have the time to remove obstacles in the probe?" the court said.

Noting that a political leader belonged to the state and not just any party, it said, "It is a sovereign function and cannot be outsourced."
"Top officers have reviewed the case thoroughly recently. Five meetings have been conducted in the past few months, and the reward announced for any information on the absconding accused has been increased from Rs 10 lakh to