Sadiq Batcha suicide: CBI begins probe

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday registered a case in the alleged suicide of Sadiq Batcha, a key accused in the 2G Spectrum allocation scam, and began investigations.

The Central government on Monday told the Supreme Court that the CBI will probe the Batcha case.

The apex court directed the government to issue notification within three days, after which the CBI will officially take up the case.

“In the facts and circumstances of the case, we direct the government to issue notification within three days transferring the investigation of the case to the CBI. Thereafter, the CBI will take over the investigation,” said a bench comprising justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly.

Earlier, on April 1, the Tamil Nadu police had requested that the CBI investigate Batcha’s death.

Batcha was found hanging in his residence in Chennai on Mar 16 in an apparent act of suicide.

A suicide note said he held no one responsible for his death and said he could not bear the constant spotlight due to the 2G scam.

Batcha, a 47-year-old Tamil Nadu businessman, had been questioned by the CBI in the 2G scam twice in the last few weeks. His premises were raided too.

He was not found guilty of anything apparently yet, but was asked to cooperate with the investigating agency to nail Raja, reports said.

Media reports said there was pressure on Batcha to be an approver in the 2G case.

According to the Batcha?s wife, Bhanu, he killed himself because could not cope up with the embarrassment for being linked to the 2G spectrum scam.

Green House Promoters, the real estate company Batcha headed as Managing Director, was being investigated for being a front company for Raja to whom he was close to, some media reports said.