the death of Abhaya. However, on 6.12.1996 the CBI filed a petition in the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court, Ernakulam, Cochin seeking permission of the court to wind up its investigation in the matter. In response to that, the father of Sr.Abhaya, Mr. Thomas, filed a counter petition in the court on 18.1.1997 to dismiss the final report of the CBI and its recommendation for closure of investigation.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) directed the CBI in its order dated 20.3.1997 to re-investigate the case. The court in its order strongly criticized the CBI for its loyalty and complicity to certain vested interests to defeat the ends of justice and the court observed that the CBI had not made party some very significant persons who otherwise emerged in the facts of the case quite evidently. The court also asserted its belief that the case could have easily been established had there been an honest and proper investigation. Further the court took very serious exception to the role of the Crime Branch officers, mentioning Mr. K.T. Michael by name for the distorted course of investigation from the beginning.
The Action Council, again on 30.5.1997 filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court of Kerala against the non-compliance of the CJM's directive for re-investigation. The High Court in its order directed the CBI to report back to the court the progress it had made in the investigation in ten days from the date of the order.
