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Rediff.com  » News » I want retrial in Priyadarshini case: Father

I want retrial in Priyadarshini case: Father

By Onkar Singh in New Delhi
July 19, 2006 22:16 IST
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C L Mattoo, the seventy five year-old father of Priyadarshini Mattoo -- a law student of the Delhi University, has said that he would settle for nothing less than reinvestigation and retrial of the accused Santosh Kumar Singh in the murder case registered against him.

Speaking to rediff.com, Mattoo said he would fight for justice for his daughter who was killed by the accused more than 10 years back, but was acquitted by the trial judge for lack of evidence.

Mattoo has been receiving death threats from thugs allegedly hired by Santosh Kumar Singh who was a classmate of Priyadarshini and is now a advocate.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which handled the case, appealed against the trial court order and the matter is yet to come up for hearing in the Delhi high court.

"Why should I ask for early hearing to the Supreme Court? It is the duty of the CBI to do so, which is the investigating agency," Mattoo said while making a rare appearance before the media at a press conference in the Press Club of India on Wednesday.

He expressed his full faith in the Indian judicial system and hoped they would do justice to him. He refused to answer questions regarding the servant of the house and other members of his family on the ground that the case was sub-judice.

A group of young men and women have formed a group by the name of 'Justice for Priyadarshini' and they plan to hold a demonstration to express their solidarity with the old man from Jammu on July 23 at India Gate in the evening.

Sabrina Lal, sister of Jessica Lal, Maneka Gandhi, Shiv Khera and some other dignitaries are expected to take part in the protest march.

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Onkar Singh in New Delhi