HC finds irregularities in CBI map on Massey incident

The Delhi high court on Monday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to explain why certain relevant facts were not mentioned in the map prepared for the route through which the prime minister's motorcade passed when Martin Massey was allegedly beaten up by the Delhi police.

''Distances shown in the map are highly deceptive,'' observed a division bench consisting of Justice Mahinder Narain and Justice S K Mahajan. Relevant information, like the names of roads and streets and their distances from important places, were not clearly mentioned in the route map prepared by the CBI, the bench said.

Additional Solicitor General Abhisek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the CBI, sought some time to explain the lapses. The case has been adjourned to October 15.

The court had taken a suo-motu notice of the May 9 incident when Massey was allegedly chased and beaten up by some Delhi policemen for straying into the path of the prime minister's motorcade.

The CBI, in its report on August 12, held that Massey was not beaten up, but was injured when he fell from the scooter. However, the agency had blamed the Delhi police for its failure to prevent Massey from entering the sterile zone.