Above: Supreme Court  

The Supreme Court on Friday (November 17) said that the trial court will continue with the case of the 2007 murder of Rizwanur Rahman in Kolkata. The case is also related to Muslim riots in that year, plus the murder of the original investigating officer (IO) of the case.

The case, which had created a stir among the public and in the media was about the daughter of a Hindu multi-millionaire dad’s (Ashok Todi) daughter (Priyanka) falling love with a 30-year-old poor Muslim graphics designer and marrying him. Rizwanur was in September 21 that year found dead on the rail tacks and murder was suspected. The idea of his having committed suicide was floated but the Muslim community refused to believe this.

On September 22 that year a violent Muslim mob went on the rampage in the Park Circus and Tiljala areas of Kolkata – Beniapukur, Topsia, Tangra and Karaya Police Station Areas – and set a police vehicle on fire when a rumour spread that Rehman’s body had disappeared from the police morgue.

On February 11, 2009, even the IO of the case, Arindam Manna, was found murdered by the rail tracks, quite a distance from his place of work.

The appeal before the top court (by Todi) is of non-applicability of the abetment of suicide clause on the petitioner and his uncle. It is also about the investigation and apparent error in ruling by the high court.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi and Shyam Divan argued for petitioner. They said: “Section 306 of the IPC can’t be attracted.”

The court agreed to issue notice, but refused to order stay on the trials and proceedings before the trial court.

—India Legal Bureau