Plea seeks reopening of Gandhi murder probe, SC appoints amicus curiae
The plea claims more than two people were involved in the assassination of the Mahatma. The Supreme Court asked the petitioner not to go into political passions but remain confined within law.
Hearing a plea seeking a reopening of the investigation into the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the Supreme Court today put some searching questions and wondered if some new evidence regarding the case has surfaced.
The petition - filed by Mumbai-based Dr Pankaj Phadnis, a researcher and a trustee of Abhinav Bharat - has sought the reopening of the probe on several grounds, claiming it was one of the biggest cover-ups in history.
The plea claims more than two people were involved in the assassination of the Mahatma. The court asked the petitioner not to go into "political passions" but remain confined within law.
During the hearing which lasted about 15 minutes, the apex court was initially of the view that "nothing can be done in law" in the case which has been decided long ago. It also said it might be difficult to open the matter again.
However, it later told Sharan that its observation was not binding on him to make an assessment of the matter and posted it for further hearing on October 30.
After a brief hearing, a bench comprising Justices SA Bobde and L Nageswara Rao appointed senior advocate and former additional solicitor general Amrender Sharan as amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter.
Gandhi was shot dead at point blank range in New Delhi on January 30, 1948 by Nathuram Vinayak Godse, a right-wing advocate of Hindu nationalism.