Bengaluru: The Chennai office of the CBI has a homicide and burglary squad which is likely to handle the case of DK Ravi once referred by the state government to the CBI HQ through the MHA, which may take another couple of days. This is subject to the headquarters not appointing any special team for the purpose, sources said. “But given the heat generated by Ravi’s death, a special team handling the matter cannot be ruled out,” they added.
“Normally, in such cases, the case will be either handed over to the CBI office nearest to the place of crime, or a special team will be formed,” police sources familiar with the way the CBI works said. The nearest CBI office in Bengaluru is headed by an officer of the rank of superintendent of police but this chapter specializes only in ‘anti-corruption and banking frauds’ and officials are not well equipped to investigate cases like the one on hand, the sources pointed out.
A fresh line of inquiry?
CBI sleuths will start afresh from the scene of crime and parallel question officials from the CID and city police, and forensic science laboratory experts who have handled the case till now, sources said. Advocates say they can register a case of murder under section 302 and start the investigation from that angle till they reach a conclusion.
Investigating officials will collect all material evidence, documents, statements and related things from the CID and local police. The video CD of the postmortem will also be taken by the CBI.
If required, the CBI may go in for another postmortem, send viscera samples to special labs in Delhi and Hyderabad. Ravi’s call detail records (CDR) for the past six months have been already taken by the CID and if needed, the CBI will get more CDR, sources said.
The investigators will also keep an eye open for any tampering or destruction of evidence, if any, during the course of investigation by local authorities.
(Agencies)
