Friday, September 15 2006 12:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The arrest of socialite Bina Ramani, key witness in the Jessica Lal murder cse has brought the role of police under scrutiny.

It has given weight to the widespread speculation that the police was bent upon harassing a celebrity and diverting attention from the focus of the main investigation.

"The SIT, which was formed to investigate the alleged complicity of the police officers which led to the acquittal of all the accused in the case has nothing to show even six months after its formation," said a senior police officer. All that they have done is arrest a fringe player in the case to divert the attention in the case he added.

Nafisa Ali, actor and activist who accompanied Ramani in all court hearing says the harassment of Ramani by the police show what an honest citizen of the country has to face.

"She is being targeted just because she is a celebrity,""she said.

Ramani was arrested after a non bailable warrant was issued by a local court and sent to six days of police custody.

"The police are bent upon turning a witness into an accused and their entire focus is to divert the attention from the main probe which is to bring the guilty to book," said lawyer KK Sarin. Even slain model Jessica's sister, Sabrina thinks the police have gone too far.

The Special Investigation Team was not formed to investigate a forgery by Ramani she says.

"The clear mandate for the police was to bring the guilty to book. While Bina Ramani has been arrested, the perpetrators of the crime are roaming free," Sabrina said.

Noted lawyer RK Jain says the entire episode looked intriguing.

"If the police's motive is to shield the guilty and just go after some innocent person then its unfortunate," he said.