ADGP Sandhya’s meeting with Katju inappropriate, says AG

Kochi: Advocate General C P Sudhakara Prasad Sunday expressed "displeasure" over Additional Director General of Police B Sandhya's recent meeting with former Supreme Court judge Markandeya Katju, during which they reportedly discussed further stages of the Soumya murder case.

Sandhya had met Katju last week, soon after the Apex Court requested the former judge to appear before it for a discussion on the Soumya murder case.

Talking to reporters here, Prasad said "there was no need" for Sandhya to meet Katju.

Criticising the top police officer's meeting with Katju, he said the case is being handled by a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court and that the developments would not affect the ongoing case in the Apex Court, seeking justice for Soumya.

Justice Katju, through his September 15 Facebook post, had criticised the Apex Court verdict, commuting to life the death sentence awarded to Govindachamy for raping 23-year-old Soumya on February 1, 2011, after pushing her out of a train in Kerala.

In an unprecedented order, the Supreme Court had summoned Katju to appear in person before it to point out the "fundamental flaws", as claimed by him in the Soumya rape case.

The Apex Court has kept the review petitions filed by Kerala and Soumya's mother in abeyance, saying it would debate with Justice Katju on his facebook post.