Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday ordered further investigation into the death of violinist Balabhaskar. The order was passed on the petition filed by the musician's father K C Unni.
The bench observed that a father has the right to know the reasons behind his son's death. The court directed the CBI to complete the investigation and submit the report within three months.
The agency has also been directed to probe any conspiracy behind the musician's demise. While considering the petition, the CBI had informed the High Court there was no conspiracy and it was the driver's negligence that caused the fatal accident. It was in the early hours of September 25, 2018, that the vehicle Balabhaskar was travelling in met with an accident. He passed away on October 2, 2018, at a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.
Earlier, the Crime Branch team which probed the case had also concluded that Balabhaskar's death was accidental. In his father's petition, it has been stated that the CBI has not examined all aspects of the case and there are possibilities of a conspiracy behind the violinist's death.
Certain revelations that point towards the possibility of a conspiracy were made earlier. Some of the eyewitnesses who were in the area at the time of the accident also raised some doubts. Uncertainty regarding some aspects from the beginning of the journey also raised suspicion. According to the petitioner, the CBI overlooked all these possibilities.
The High Court had made it clear earlier that the interim order to stay the trial of the case in the Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court would continue until a verdict on the petition seeking further probe was passed.
Meanwhile, the CBI contested that the investigation was proper and demanded the trial be allowed to continue. The driver of the KSRTC bus, which was right behind Balabhaskar's vehicle at the time of the accident deposed that he did not see anyone attacking Balabhaskar or the others in the car. His wife, who was in the car, also did not raise such a complaint.
The lawyer representing the central agency said Kalabhavan Soby George's statement was nothing but a publicity stunt. Soby said that he saw another prominent musician at the site of the accident.
