The Supreme Court today has directed the Rajasthan Police to complete the investigation within 2 months in the National law University, Jodhpur student death case. The case pertains to the mysterious death of Vikrant Nagaich, a third year NLU, Jodhpur student in August 2017.
The bench comprising Justice RF Nariman, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice BR Gavai was hearing a petition filed by the deceased’s mother, Neetu Kumar Naigaich, seeking transfer of investigation from the Rajasthan police to the Central Bureau of Investigation due to the lackadaisical effort of the Police in framing the offenders.
On the previous hearing the bench while issuing notice had directed the Rajasthan Police to file a status report on the probe.
On August 14, 2017, Nagaich was found dead in an open ground near the railway track behind Laxmi Guest house in Jodhpur.
Initially the death was being suspected as a suicide. However later Nagaich’s father suspecting foul play, wrote a letter to the then Home Minister of Rajasthan Gulab Chand Kataria and senior police officials about it.
Thereafter, in June 2018, the crime branch registered a case of murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code at the Mandor police station in Jodhpur.
Nagaich’s mother had approached the Rajasthan High Court with a plea seeking constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), however her plea was dismissed by the Court.
In her plea Nagiach’s mother has alleged that there was lack of efforts on the part of Police to frame the offenders is“a result of probable collusion to shield some high, mighty and influential person(s)”.
She has further contented that the nature of injuries found on Nagaich’s body did not suggest that it was a result of suicide. Moreover she further alleges that after the death of Nagaich his body was moved to the railway tracks.
She has also pointed out that the case was not registered until 10 months after the incident and now after three years the chargesheet has also not been filed.
While alleging that several credible witnesses were ignored by the Police, she has stated that “Such selective processing of a statement of a witness is not only prejudicial but also reeks of malafide, that the investigation agency is trying to protect the local villagers.”
-India Legal Bureau