Rizwanur Rehman death: Apex court questions Bengal, Todi

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday questioned the West Bengal government and industrialist Ashok Todi on a petition challenging a Calcutta High Court order directing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct fresh investigations into Rizwanur Rehman’s death.

The high court by its May 18 order directed the CBI to register a fresh first information report (FIR) and reinvestigate the case.

On an earlier appeal by the CBI, the high court order was stayed by the apex court Sep 10. The high court by its order asked the CBI to treat the Rizwanur case as murder.

An apex court bench of Justice P. Sathasivam and Justice B.S. Chauhan issued the notice and tagged the matter with the CBI petition.

In the instant case, the apex court was moved by Rizwanur Rehman’s mother Kishwar Jahan and brother Rukbanur Rehman. Counsel Abhijit Sengupta moved the petition on behalf of the two appellant.

Rizwanur Rehman, a computer graphics professional, married Priyanka Todi, daughter of Todi, Aug 18, 2007.

Todi, a suspect, too has challenged the impugned order of the high court which asked the CBI to hold fresh investigation.

The high court by its impugned order had also quashed the FIR and the consequent charge sheet filed by the CBI in pursuance of its investigations carried out on the direction of the single judge of the high court.

The investigating agency after its earlier investigation said that Rizwanur’s death was a suicide and recommended registration of a case against Todi and others for abetment to suicide case.

Rizwanur’s mysterious death gained prominence following the allegation that he was allegedly killed at the behest of some high and mighty after he married Priyanka.

Rizwanur’s body was found on the railway tracks near Patipukur in north Kolkata Sep 21, 2007.