No Headway Made In Tanwar Murder Case

The special investigation team (sit) of Delhi Police has informed the Delhi High Court that it has made no headway in its probe into the sensational murder four years ago of SK Tanwar, a Central Government Health Services doctor.

The sensational murder has acquired political importance since senior Congress leaders, including party President Sitaram Kesri, were involved in various ways with Tanwar.

The SIT was set up during the weeks after Kesri withdrew support to the Deve Gowda government and before IK Gujral succeeded Gowda. It took over the probe from the Crime Branch of Delhi Police. It was seen in political circles as Gowdas attempt to ensure that the probe was not shelved.

There has been little headway, though, amid the excellent rapport that has developed between Gujral and Kesri. Though the SIT affidavit said all possible efforts are being made to investigate the matter and to trace out the culprits, its affidavit could report nothing about what it had done between April and August.

The affidavit, filed by deputy commissioner of police S Vasudeva through standing counsel s k aggarwal, provides salient details of investigation in Dr Tanwar murder case from August 1 to September 30.

The High Court had asked the SIT to file an affidavit detailing its efforts from april this year till date. but was silent about what happened between April and August this year.

The High Court sought the affidavit in response to a petition from the All India Young Lawyers Association, which had alleged that the Delhi Police was being pressurised to hush up the murder of Tanwar, who was allegedly close to Kesri.

The case had earlier been quietly closed in 1994, when Kesri was Welfare Minister in the Congress government headed by PV Narasimha Rao. Other senior Congress leaders such as Ghulam Nabi Azad have also been reported to have been close to Tanwar.