The Supreme Court on Wednesday halted a Madras High Court direction that had transferred the investigation into the murder of former Tamil Nadu BSP president K Armstrong to the CBI. The High Court had also quashed the chargesheet filed by the state police, prompting the Tamil Nadu government to appeal.
A bench of Justices J K Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi took up the state’s plea and stayed the transfer of the probe, noting concerns raised by the Tamil Nadu police over how the High Court handled the matter.
This comes weeks after the Court’s earlier order on October 10, when it stayed only the part of the High Court ruling that quashed the chargesheet, but allowed the transfer to the CBI to stand. That position has now changed.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Tamil Nadu police, told the bench that the allegation that the state police failed to share case records with the CBI was incorrect. He said the High Court had struck down a detailed chargesheet in a “casual manner,” despite the police having completed substantial investigation.
His submission came as the state pressed for restoration of the probe, arguing that the CBI transfer order was unwarranted.
After hearing the parties, the Supreme Court stayed the CBI probe as well, effectively putting the entire High Court order on hold.
The Madras High Court had on September 24 ordered the transfer of the investigation to the CBI and asked the agency to complete the probe and file its final report within six months.
Armstrong, who headed the Tamil Nadu unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party, was brutally hacked to death near his Chennai home on July 5, 2024. The murder sent shockwaves across the state and triggered significant political reactions.
So far, 27 people have been arrested and remanded in judicial custody. Several of them have additionally been detained under the Goondas Act.
With the Supreme Court’s latest order, the case investigation will remain with the Tamil Nadu police for now, pending further hearing.
