Delhi Riots| Investigation Pending In 384 Out Of 758 FIRs: Police Tells High Court

The Delhi Police has informed the High Court that out of the 758 FIRs registered in connection with North East Delhi riots cases, investigation is pending in a total of 384 cases.

The development came in an affidavit that was filed by the Delhi Police in a clutch of petitions filed by Ajay Gautam, regarding the violence due to Delhi riots and alleged hate speeches by political leaders.

The police has stated that chargesheets have been filed in 367 cases, cancellation report has been filed in 3 cases and the a total of 4 cases have been quashed by the High Court.

"That out of 758 cases registered, 695 cases are being investigated by North-East District police. 62 cases which pertained to major incidents like murders etc were transferred to the Crime Branch, where 3 dedicated 'Special Investigating Teams' investigated these cases under continuous monitoring of superior officers. 01 case pertaining to the larger conspiracy behind the engineering of the communal riots in Delhi is being investigated by the Special Cell," the affidavit reads.

The affidavit comes after the Court had in November last year directed the Delhi Police to file a fresh status report updating about the status of probe including filing of chargesheets and stage of trial before Trial Courts.

The Police has informed the Court that FIRs arising out of or registered in connection with the riots have been investigated promptly, diligently in accordance with law and has been carried out by the police in a credible, fair, honest and impartial manner.

Furthermore, it has been added that during the entire period of protest against CAA and NRC, the Delhi Police remained vigilant and cautious and took all necessary measures to ensure that the protest may not escalate. 

It has been stated further that the police made sure that the protestors may not breach the law and order situation in the area under the garb of exercising the constitutional rights available with them.

"That during riots the police authorities acted promptly, vigilantly and effectively without any fear or favour and in a professional manner. The police acted swiftly to control law and order situation in the affected arcas and to save life and property of the people. All earnest eforts, including deployment of adequate force and involving respectable citizens of the area were made to restore normaley. Due to the measures taken by Delhi Police, the violence could be contained in few days and was confined to a limited area," it has been stated.

The petition moved by Ajay Gautam has asked for National Investigation Agency to investigate the funding and sponsoring of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Petitioner had also claimed that these protests are allegedly funded by PFI, which as per him is an anti-national organization, and the same are supported by political parties such as Congress and Aam Aadmi Party.

In addition to these claims, the Petitioner had also asked for FIR to be registered against political leaders such as Waris Pathan, Asaduddin Owaisi and Salman Khurshid, for allegedly making inflammatory and hate speeches.

Case Title: Ajay Gautam v. GNCTD