MP court orders fresh look at Congress worker's death in 1997

BHOPAL: A local court in Bhopal has ordered further investigation into the unsolved death of Mahila Congress activist Sarla Mishra in Feb 1997. How can anyone with 90% burns give - and sign - a dying declaration, was one of the key questions asked by the court.

Police had filed a closure report in the case in 2000, suggesting it was suicide. Sarla's brother Anurag Mishra, however, wasn't convinced and moved court to reopen the investigation. The court accepted his plea Thursday, observing the investigation was incomplete.

Sarla was found burnt at her home in Bhopal on Feb 14, 1997. She was transferred to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital where she died five days later. It triggered a political storm in MP with fingers being raised at even then CM Digvijaya Singh for 'hushing up' the case.

Around six months ago, Anurag filed a 'protest petition' in MP HC against closure of the case. HC asked a Bhopal court to record the statements of witnesses in the case, including the complainant, and examine whether closure of the case was in accordance with law. After recording statements and examining the case diary, judicial magistrate first-class Palak Rai concluded that the police probe was "incomplete" and asked police to further investigate the case and present a final report in court.