Jahangirpuri violence: 'Police complicity needs to be probed'

New Delhi: Criticising the Delhi Police in the Jahangirpuri violence case, a Rohini court said the police's complicity "if any" needs to be investigated. The court also said that there was "utter failure" on part of the Delhi Police in stopping a Hanuman Jayanti procession held without permission at Jahangirpuri in northwest Delhi last month.

The issue "seems to have been simply brushed aside" by senior police officers, media reports said.

Communal clashes broke out in the area during the third procession, which was held without permission, on April 16.

"The liability on the part of the concerned officials needs to be fixed so that in future no such incident takes place and the police is not complacent in preventing the illegal activities," said Additional Sessions Judge Gagandeep Singh in an order.

A copy of the order has been directed to be sent to the commissioner of police "for information and remedial compliance".

The court in the order noted the sequence of events which took place on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on April 16 in the area and the role of the local administration in preventing the untoward incident and maintaining the law and order situation needs to be seen. "It is fairly admitted on behalf of the state that the last procession, which was passing through during which the unfortunate riots took place, was illegal having no prior permission from (the) police," said the judge.

The court further said that the FIR itself shows that the local staff of the Jahangirpuri police station, led by inspector Rajiv Ranjan as well as other officials, were "accompanying the said illegal procession" on its route instead of stopping it.

"It appears that local police, instead of performing their duty in stopping the said illegal procession in the beginning itself and dispersing the crowd, was accompanying them to the entire route which later on led to unfortunate riots between the two communities," said ASJ Singh.

The court made the observations in an order dismissing the bail applications of seven accused – Imteyaz, Noor Alam, Sheikh Hamid, Ahmad Ali, Sheikh Hamid, S.K. Sahahada, Sheikh Zahir and Ahir. The accused argued that they had been falsely implicated in the case and were not even present at the spot on the date of the incident.

While dismissing the bail pleas of the accused, the judge said that the material investigation in the present case is still underway and several offenders are yet to be apprehended.

"The apprehension has been expressed by the prosecution that the public witnesses will not come forward as the rioters are known criminals of the area. Therefore, the apprehension of threatening/influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled at this stage, if the accused/applicant is enlarged on bail at this stage. The chargesheet is yet to be filed. The allegations are serious against the accused/applicant," said the court.