IO's duty to be ready, don't push me for order: Judge
New Delhi: A Delhi court has now once again reprimanded an Investigating Officer of the Delhi Police for failing to be prepared with case materials in a case related to the north-east Delhi riots last year, warning him not to provoke the court into issuing an order regarding the same.
Saying that the IO should be responsible for coming to court prepared, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat took objection to the delay caused by the concerned police officer in arranging the photos and videos the prosecution was supposed to rely on.
"You (investigating officer) did not even join the proceedings on time. It's not the duty of the Court. It's your responsibility. Last time also I asked you, you said you will take time. You should be prepared with everything. Such a conduct is not expected out of an IO. Don't push me to write an order. Sit somewhere where you have internet," the judge said during the proceedings, according to legal news website
LiveLaw.
The exchange took place while the court was hearing the bail plea filed by one Mohd Faizan in relation to a rioting case, involving several sections of the IPC and the Arms Act. The prosecution argued that the accused allegedly had the intent to spread the riots and had purportedly been spotted carrying a stick in CCTV footage.
They added that the accused allegedly also pelted stones at the police officials deployed for duty in the area, with a "strong intent to cause loss".
Significantly, Faizan's lawyers argued that the alleged main "conspirators" in the case - Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita (Pinjra Tod) - had already been granted bail in the case.
Faizan went on to also cite the bail order of the Delhi High Court in the case of an accused in the murder of Head Constable Rattan Lal — to make his case. The court, after hearing arguments, reserved its order on the petition and is set to pronounce the order on Saturday.
In a separate case, a local court had also rebuked the police for not being prepared, being late to hearings and skipping hearings altogether.
