Court rules out CBI probe into Laila Khan murder

Mumbai, July 26 (IANS) The Bombay High Court Thursday rejected a plea to transfer the probe into starlet Laila Khan's killing, who was murdered along with five other family members, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A division bench comprising Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice A.R. Joshi was hearing a petition filed by Laila Khan's biological father Nadir Shah Patel, demanding a probe by the federal agency into the multiple killings.

The judges observed that they could not transfer the probe into all cases to the central agency without formidable grounds which could prove police inefficiency in the investigations.

The case is presently being investigated by the Mumbai police.

Police claimed that the murders were allegedly committed by Laila Khan's step-father Parvez Iqbal Tak, currently in custody here.

In February 2011, Patel filed a police complaint saying that they (Laila and others) were missing.

Following revelations made by Tak, a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, to the Jammu and Kashmir Police last month, the Mumbai police recovered human remains this month from Laila's partially-burnt country house in Igatpuri, a hill resort in Nashik district, around 130 km from here.

Patel also sought action against officials of Oshiwara Police Station in Mumbai's western suburbs and Igatpuri for allegedly failing to discharge their duties in the matter.

Dismissing his contentions, the court said just because she (Laila) was a celebrity, the CBI could not be asked to probe the case unless there were formidable grounds to show police inefficiency.

The judges said they would demand an explanation from police on the delay in investigating Patel's missing person complaint, and posted the matter for further hearing Aug 23.