Pavitra suicide: Husband moves HC for change of inquiry panel

The committee was formed to look into the suicide of Pavitra Bhardwaj,a former laboratory assistant with B R Ambedkar College.

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Delhi government to respond to a plea seeking quashing of a judicial panel set up to inquire into the suicide of a former Delhi University employee.

Issuing a notice to the government,Justice V K Jain also sought the records pertaining to the constitution of the committee headed by retired sessions judge B L Garg. The committee was formed to look into the suicide of Pavitra Bhardwaj,a former laboratory assistant with B R Ambedkar College.

The court passed the order on a plea filed by Pavitras husband,a Delhi Police constable,and six associate professors in DU. The plea questioned the jurisdiction of the committee to investigate criminal offences.

It is a trite that setting up a fact-finding committee,like the one in the present case where an FIR is already lodged and the matter is being investigated,is not a step in the right direction, the plea stated.

The petitioners also sought direction to the B R Ambedkar Colleges governing body to set up an inquiry committee based on the Vishaka guidelines to deal with allegations of harassment against the college principal.

On September 30,Pavitra had set herself on fire outside the Delhi Secretariat. She had sustained 92 per cent burns and succumbed to injuries seven days later.

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