Kerala High Court demands death certificate in Gopan Swami samadhi case, says probe can't be halted
Kerala High Court seeks death certificate in Neyyattinkara Gopan Swami samadhi case, citing suspicious circumstances, and issues notice to government, deferring hearing until next week.
Kochi: The Kerala High Court raised critical questions regarding the Neyyattinkara Gopan Swami samadhi case during a hearing on Wednesday (Jan 15). The court requested the production of a death certificate, stating that without it, it would have to consider the death as unnatural. If the death certificate is provided, the court indicated that the argument could be reassessed. This observation was made during the hearing of a petition filed by Gopan Swami's wife, Sulochana, who is contesting the controversy surrounding the 'samadhi peeth' (tomb).
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The court emphasized that the ongoing investigation into the death could not be halted or delayed at this stage. It issued a notice to the government, requesting a response to the petition, which has been deferred until next week. Additionally, the court questioned the petitioner's fear regarding the situation and noted that there was no immediate need to intervene in the investigation.
During the proceedings, the petitioner's lawyer argued that the order from the RDO was unlawful. However, the court pressed for clarification on the circumstances surrounding the death. The court pointed out that the police are investigating the case due to the suspicious nature of the death and affirmed that the police have the authority to investigate any death under such circumstances.
The court further requested the family to explain the details of the death and where it had been officially acknowledged. It also reiterated that there were indeed suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. The petition, which seeks to halt the demolition of the tomb, was filed against the Thiruvananthapuram District Collector, the RDO, and the police.
The case was heard by a bench led by Justice C.S. Dias.