SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh high court on Wednesday handed over the investigation into the gangrape and murder case of minor girl in Shimla district to CBI. It also directed the investigative agency to constitute a three-member special investigation team (SIT), headed by an officer not below the rank of SP, along with two DSPs. Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma passed orders on an application filed by the state government, requesting the court to order a CBI probe in the rape-murder case. The court has directed the state government to provide a vehicle, accommodation and other facilities to the special CBI team. It also directed the CBI to file the case status report before it within two weeks.During the course of hearing, advocate general Shravan Dogra informed the court about the killing of an accused in the lock-up and locals residents pelting stones at the police station and trying to set it on fire, the court directed the state chief secretary to conduct an independent probe into the incident. The court asked the chief secretary to inform it about the action taken against those responsible for it through an affidavit.The state government had earlier moved the high court, seeking that the CBI be directed to take over the investigations. Chief minister Virbhadra Singh had also written a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard. The state government had decided to get the case referred to the CBI for investigation following public outcry againstthe inquiry by the police.People had taken to streets last week and there were allegations about attempts to shelter some influential persons involved in the heinous crime and that the six accused held inthe case were not the main accused.

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