SC orders fresh probe into death of National Law University student in 2017

The Supreme Court has ordered a fresh investigation into the suspicious death of National Law University (NLU) student Vikrant Nagaich in 2017 by a new team of investigators, which has to be completed within two months.

The apex court bench headed by Justice Rohinton Nariman directed that a fresh investigation be carried out in the death of the law student. It also set aside the closure report filed by the Rajasthan Police in the case.

The order came after a plea was filed by the mother of the deceased student, seeking transfer of the case from Rajasthan Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or alternatively to a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT).

"We set aside the closure report and direct a fresh investigation by a new team of investigators to be headed by a senior police officer of the state consisting of efficient personnel well conversant with the use of modern investigation technology also. No officer who was part of the investigating team leading to the closure report shall be part of the team conducting the fresh investigation. A lot of time has passed and there is undoubtedly urgency in the matter now," the bench said in its order.

It added, "We, therefore, direct that such fresh investigation must be concluded within a maximum period of two months from today and the police report be filed before the court concerned whereafter the matter shall proceed in accordance with the law."

Earlier, the bench had pulled up the Rajasthan police for the final report filed by it in an attempt to close the case and observed that the report was an "eye-wash". On July 8, the top court had granted the Rajasthan Police two months deadline to complete the investigation into the death of the student.

Neetu Kumar Nagaich, the mother of the deceased student, had earlier approached the apex court and accused the state police of "lackadaisical and callous manner of the probe" into the FIR lodged on June 29, 2018, with Jodhpur's Mandore police station.

( With inputs from ANI )