Handover post-mortem video, X-Ray plate to Delhi Police: HC

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to handover the original X-Ray plate and video of post-mortem of Navreet Singh, the 25-year-old farmer who died under mysterious circumstances during the Republic Day violence near ITO here, to the Delhi Police.

This comes after the UP Police initially denied to transfer these documents to the Delhi Police unless ordered by a court.

While both the Delhi Police and the UP Police have said Navreet's death was a result of his rash driving leading to an accident, the victim's father has approached the Delhi High Court, with the allegation that he was first shot by the police.

When Navreet's father, Hardeep Singh, sought a copy of the X-Ray report and video of the post-mortem from the UP Police, they were told that the X-Ray report does not exist but the X-Ray plate could be accessed.

Justice Yogesh Khanna said let both the original documents be handed over to the official of Delhi Police on March 5 at 2 PM and they shall be retained by the investigating officer in safe custody.

The high court was hearing a plea by deceased Navreet Singh's grandfather — Hardeep Singh — claiming that the victim suffered gunshot injuries to his head. His post-mortem was conducted at Rampur district hospital in Uttar Pradesh.

However, both the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh Police claimed before the court that Navreet did not suffer any gunshot wounds.

Advocate Garima Prashad, representing the Uttar Pradesh Police and the CMO of the hospital, said they do not have X-Ray report and they only have the X-Ray plate and the post-mortem report which they are willing to handover to the Delhi Police on the date and time fixed by the court.

She said the original post-mortem and inquest reports have already been handed over to the Delhi Police.

Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing the petitioner, sought a copy of the X-Ray report and post-mortem and inquest reports.

As Mehra stated that they have no objection in giving those documents to the petitioner, the high court said, let the needful be done and listed the matter for further hearing on March 17.

Grover also said once the original X-Ray plate is received from the Uttar Pradesh Police, the court can ask AIIMS or any other forensic department to prepare a report out of the X-Ray plate for their perusal.

Delhi Police had earlier said that according to the post-mortem report the young farmer died due to a head injury as a result of the accident and all his injuries were possible in a road accident.

The petition, also filed through advocate Soutik Banerjee, has sought a court-monitored SIT probe into the death of the young farmer.