CBI takes note of new Batcha murder claim

In view of the fresh claims made by a 24-year-old man, K, Prabhakaran, from Ariyalur, that he murdered Sadiq Batcha, who was a close aide of former communications minister A. Raja, the CBI on Wednesday maintained that the agency will take note of it and “further action will be taken as per the law”. The CBI in October 2012 had filed a closure report in the mysterious death of Chennai-based businessman Batcha.

Prabhakaran claimed that he murdered Batcha, who was managing director of a real estate firm also, in 2011. Prabhakaran further claimed that he murdered Batcha along with two others in March 2011, at the height of the 2G scam controversy. Talking to media persons in Trichy, Prabhakaran claimed that three of them killed Batcha on March 16, 2011. The 47-year-old Batcha was found hanging at his home in Chennai on March 16, 2011.

Reacting to Prabhakaran’s claims, a senior CBI officer said, “The agency filed a closure report in the mysterious death of Chennai-based businessman in 2012. His post-mortem examination report had also concluded that it was a suicide. The agency sleuths re-constructed the chain of events and also used the services of forensic experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to probe if Batcha was murdered. Even after re-examination of the forensic reports several times, the agency officials did not found anything suspicious. This was the reason that the CBI decided to file a closure report in the case”. The officer further said that the claims 24-year-old man from Ariyalur would be examined and action will be taken as per law.

“Batcha was cooperating with the probe agencies, investigating 2G scam, also. He was questioned four times by the CBI and once by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He was believed to be completely aware of the money trail in 2G spectrum scam”, sources said. Batcha was closely associated with A Raja and his family members.