Ashram deaths case: Petitioner protests against father joining as party

Ahmedabad : Praful Vaghela’s plea to become a party in the petition going on in Gujarat High Court met with strong objection from original petitioner, PH Parmar. Vaghela has applied for joining him as a party in this application claiming that investigating agency has failed to make any breakthrough in the case, hence probe be handed over to CBI.

Parmar (78) expressed reservation against Vaghela’s move to join case alleging that deceased kids’ parents had succumbed to political pressure after launching a protest fast against tardy pace of investigations, in July.

"I have full sympathy for Vaghela family, but when they were getting support from all corners of society, they withdrew from struggle and made peace with political leaders. It was under political pressure, Vaghelas had agreed to the decision of handing over investigation to CID (crime)," Parmar argued before a division Bench hearing PIL seeking thorough investigation in to mysterious deaths of Dipesh and Abhishek, who were studying at the Asaram Gurukul in Motera.

"I will contest this case alone come what may, and not allow anybody to weaken it," Parmar claimed. "I don’t mind him filing a separate application, but I have an objection to join anybody else in this application," he added.

Parmar had also vehemently opposed constitution of Justice DK Trivedi commission to probe the case. Earlier, an NGO Jan Sangharsh Manch had joined in this case as a party and sought compensation for damage caused during rioting on the day of protest. JSM had also sought court’s direction to police to lodge criminal complaints against followers of Asaram Bapu that were involved in rioting.

Division Bench of Chief Justice KS Radhakrishnan and Justice Akil Kureshi kept further hearing on the issue on February 10, and directed investigating agency to apprise court about recent status of investigation.

Taken from TOI (Source)