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Prankster DJs may escape facing charges: Aus police

December 28, 2012 13:49 IST

Two Sydney-based Australian DJs, who pulled off a controversial royal prank on a United Kingdom hospital treating pregnant Princess Kate which led to the suicide of a British-Indian nurse, may escape facing criminal charges.

London police have made no further contact with the New South Wales Police regarding legal proceedings against the DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian and a top police official said the duo was unlikely to face prosecution.

"We've had no contact with the London Met," Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas said, adding "We're happy to assist but they're not asking for anything and we don't anticipate they're going to be asking for anything."

Indian-origin nurse Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found dead days after she transferred the hoax call to the private chamber of Princess Kate in King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, central London.

The two DJ's of radio station 2DayFM are currently off the air since Saldanha's death.

Kaldas said that it was three weeks since Scotland Yard first made contact with his police force through an Australian Federal Police liaison.

The initial contact was just to "touch base" rather than commence proceedings, Kaldas said, adding that since then there had been no contacts.

According to British reports, the Scotland Yard had sent the file to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether or not to pursue charges against the erring DJs.

Saldanha has since been buried in India and in one of her three suicide notes she reportedly partially blamed the two DJs for her death.

Greig and Christian, who posed as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles in the prank call to obtain private details of Kate's pregnancy, have claimed to have received death threats and have been moved to safe houses.

Natasha Chaku in Melbourne
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