Mass Cover-Up or Festive Distraction? Tehsil Police Delay in Handing Over Ritika Maloo Case Diary
Nagpur, India: The State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), responsible for investigating the Ram Jhula accident following a high court order, informed the sessions court that they have not yet received the case diary from the Tehsil police. As a result, they requested two more days to respond to a disposal application filed by Ritika Maloo’s legal team.
Ritika Maloo, the key accused in the case, had her bail challenged by the Tehsil police under non-bailable sections. However, her lawyer, Chandrashekhar Jaltare, argued that this plea is now irrelevant since the high court transferred the investigation to the CID last week.
Despite the high court's directive for the Tehsil police to immediately hand over all case-related documents, including the diary, the CID is still waiting for these papers. The delay is reportedly due to the Tehsil police being occupied with local festivals such as Pola, Marbat, and Badgya.
This negligence by the Tehsil police is unprofessional. The case was transferred to the CID on August 30, 2024, yet the case diary has still not been handed over. While the police claim they are occupied with the festive season, one has to wonder if this is a genuine reason or just another excuse to keep Ritika Maloo free.
The sessions court is expected to hear the CID’s response by Monday, provided the necessary documents are handed over by then. The high court’s division bench, comprising Justices Vinay Joshi and Vrushali V Joshi, had earlier emphasized that the case should be transferred "forthwith."
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Maloo's defence team strongly argued in court for the dismissal of the police’s application to arrest her under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
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