‘No update from CB-CID’: HC forms panel to probe into Vengaivayal case

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday formed an one-member commission under retired Justice M Sathyanarayanan and directed him to visit Vengaivayal village wherein human faeces were mixed with the water in an overhead tank used for drinking by residents of a Dalit colony in Pudukkottai district and submit the report to the court within two months.

In December 2022, human faeces were found floating in the overhead tank supplying drinking water to the Scheduled Caste families in Vengaivayal. Rajkamal from Veppampattu, Tiruvallur district filed a Public Interest Litigation at the Madras High Court seeking an order to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe into the incident.

Hearing the arguments, a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy formed a one-member commission under retired Justice of Madras High Court Sathyanarayanan to investigate and directed him to visit the village and submit the report within two months.

"There is not a single development in the CB-CID investigation even after 90 days of the incident," the court said.

The court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to do the necessary arrangements to the one member commission.

Earlier, the petitioner stated in his petition: “Even after 70 years of independence, untouchability still exists in the country. The social justice which was offered by the constitution is also a long-dream to the scheduled caste people. The scheduled caste and scheduled tribes being treated as second grade citizens of India."

He also contended that though the investigation into the Vengaivayal incident was transferred to CB-CID, there was no breakthrough or progress made in the case and no action was taken against the persons involved in the incident.

“Therefore, there was a need to transfer the investigation to the CBI, the petitioner said and sought a direction in this regard.”

Responding to this, Additional advocate general Ravindran submitted the report of the CB-CID investigating officer to the bench and informed that a total of 147 witnesses have been questioned in connection with this case. “As contradictory information has been revealed about the incident, further investigation is underway,” he explained to the court.