SC refuses to entertain plea seeking CBI probe into death of former Arunachal CM Kalikho Pul

The Supreme Court Thursday refused to entertain a petition seeking CBI probe into the death of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, who was found hanging at his residence in August 2016.

A three-judge bench of Justice U U Lalit, Indira Banerjee and K M Joseph questioned the locus standi of the petitioner association ‘Social Vigilance Team’.

“You are not claiming that you have any connection or relation with him. You are a complete stranger. How can we entertain this PIL under Article 32?”, the bench observed.

Pointing out that Pul had taken his own life, Justice Lalit told Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, who appeared for the petitioner and added “you made a representation a year later. You have no relationship with him”.

The bench told Dave that it will dismiss the plea if the petitioner did not want to withdraw. The plea was accordingly withdrawn.

Though Dave requested the bench to give him liberty to approach the High Court, it said “we will only say you can seek appropriate remedy as is open in law”.

Pul was found hanging at the CM’s official residence in Itanagar on August 9, 2016.

A controversy followed with reports that a suicide note allegedly left by him had mentioned politicians and some judges.