CBI threatened me to withdraw Nithari case: SC lawyer

A lawyer representing the widow of Nithari case main witness Jatin Sarkar, whose body was recovered from a river in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, claimed he was threatened by the CBI to withdraw the case against it.

A lawyer representing the widow of Nithari case main witness Jatin Sarkar, whose body was recovered from a river in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, claimed he was threatened by the CBI to withdraw the case against it.

Supreme Court advocate Bhanu Pratap Singh Dhakre alleged that two persons sent by the CBI came to his house in Noida’s Sector 14 this morning and ‘threatened’ him to withdraw the case filed by Bandana Sarkar.

The woman, whose daughter Pinki was allegedly raped and murdered by Pandher and his servant Surinder Koli, had moved the Supreme Court on November 1.

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Her writ petition claimed that her husband Jatin Sarkar was in possession of “confessional” statements of Pandher and was allegedly murdered to protect the guilty.

Dhakre told PTI that he sent a notice of contempt to CBI Director Vijay Shankar and two other officials – S J M Gilani and Ajay Singh – through his counsel Anish Surawardi, another apex court lawyer.

He has also demanded security from the Noida police. “If anything happens to me or my family, the CBI will be responsible,” he said.

The apex court had also issued notices to the Centre and governments of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal on Bandana’s petition seeking police protection for herself and family members of the other victims of the serial killings.

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The Murshidabad police started investigating the death of Jain Sarkar early this month after his body was fished out of the river Bhagirathi in the district.