Mukherjee Nagar assault case: 10 police personnel transferred, high court told

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court was informed by police Tuesday that 10 of their personnel, who were allegedly involved in the incident of assault on a tempo driver and his minor son in Mukherjee Nagar last month, have been transferred.

The Delhi Police, in its interim report submitted before the court, said even if it is taken that the tempo driver and his son were extremely aggressive, the personnel should have "exhibited greater patience and professionalism, instead of indulging in the impulsive unprofessional conduct of dragging them".

On June 16, several video clips of a brawl between the tempo driver, Sarabjeet Singh, and police personnel went viral on social media.

In one of the clips, Singh is seen chasing policemen with a sword and in another, the personnel are seen thrashing the tempo driver and his son with batons.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar was told that the police personnel, who have been transferred to the non-sensitive unit of the 1st battalion of the Delhi Police, will join their new posting in the next 24 hours.

Additional Standing counsel Satyakam, representing the Delhi Police, said the criminal case has been transferred to the Crime Branch and a joint departmental inquiry will be conducted against the police personnel concerned.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on September 2. It was hearing a petition seeking an independent CBI probe into the incident.

Besides, the independent probe by the agency, the petition by Seema Singhal, a lawyer, has also sought framing of appropriate guidelines to prevent such "violent acts of police brutality and excessive force".

Advocates Sangeeta Bharti and Rubinder Ghumman, appearing for Singhal, opposed the status report of the police and claimed that it would be an one-sided inquiry as the tempo driver and his son have not been examined.