Delhi Police fined Rs 25K again — 'repeated orders fell on deaf ears'
New Delhi: For the second time now, a local court in Delhi has imposed a Rs 25,000 cost on the Delhi Police in relation to a north-east Delhi riots case — this time for not being able to conduct a proper investigation in a clubbed FIR case, noting that repeated directions to senior officers of the force, including the Police Commissioner, for their personal intervention in these matters had "fallen on deaf ears".
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg's order imposing the cost came in an application filed by the police requesting to segregate one of the complaints from the concerned clubbed FIR and probe it separately. And while the court allowed the police to separately probe the complaint — it did so with the condition of the cost.
This was because in this case, a Sessions court had in September ordered the Delhi Police to separate the complaint of one Akil Ahmed from a clubbed FIR related to different instances of rioting in Bhajanpura. After this order, while the Special Public Prosecutor maintained that a separate FIR had been registered on Akil's plaint and was being probed, the investigating officer did not mention even a whisper of such a probe.
In fact, the court noted that when the IO was asked to produce the case diary pertaining to the investigation of Akil's complaint, the concerned police officer had said no such case diary had been maintained. Following this, the police showed up in court, now, wanting to separately probe Akil's complaint.
"Repeated directions have already been issued by this court not only to DCP (NE), Joint Commissioner of Police (Eastern Range) and Commissioner of Police, Delhi seeking their personal intervention in the matters pertaining to the North East riots, however, it appears that all the aforesaid directions have fallen on deaf ears," CMM Garg stated.
In an order dated October 12, Garg had also directed Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana to furnish a detailed report regarding steps taken by him to ensure proper investigation of the cases pertaining to North East riots and their expeditious trial.
Furthermore, CMM Garg directed the Secretary (Home), Union of India to order an inquiry to fix the responsibility for imposition of the cost and deduction of the same from the salary of the erring officer.
"In view of inconsistency in the submissions made on behalf of IO as well as SPP regarding segregation of investigation qua the complaint..., it is apparent that the prosecution is still not sure as to how it should go about further investigation in the case and the only purpose for seeking permission for further investigation is to derail the further proceedings," the court observed.
He added, "The request of IO for segregation of the complaint and for further investigation in the case is allowed, however, considering the delay in moving the application leading to undue harassment of the accused persons, two of whom are still running in JC, the said request is allowed subject to adjournment cost of Rs 25,000 to be paid by the State."
