SC rejects plea seeking CBI probe into murder of guard at Jayalalithaa's home

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking a CBI probe into the murder of a security guard at former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's retreat home at Kodanad Estate in Nilgiris district in 2017.

The PIL had sought an independent investigation into the allegation of involvement of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisamy in the case. Palaniswamy had denied the charge.

"Heard the counsel for the petitioner and perused the relevant material. We do not consider the present to be a fit case for admission. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed," a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna said.

The plea filed K R Ramaswamy alias Traffic Ramaswamy had also sought directions to the state police to hand over the records relating to the Kodanad Estate's robbery and murder of Om Bahadur, home guard of Jayalalithaa, on April 23, 2017.

Seeking a CBI probe into the incident, the plea cited a video, which was shown in a press conference, in which two accused allegedly referred to the present chief minister.

An impartial and independent investigation will be not be possible under the state police as the chief minister was also the home minister of the state, the plea contended.

Samuel Mathew, former Tehelka managing editor had on January 11 released a 16-minute video in which the two accused in the case had allegedly linked Palaniswami to the case, the petition said.

Two days after the presser, Palaniswamy also held his press conference in which he had denied the allegations and said that police action will be taken against those who linked him in the murder case, it said.

On April 23, 2017, the security guard of the Kodanad estate, the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's retreat home in Nilgiris district, was murdered in a robbery attempt by a 10-member gang.

It emerged during the probe that Jayalalithaa's former driver C Kanagaraj and Sayan had allegedly plotted the crime.

A total of 10 people were arrested in the case and a charge sheet was also filed.