Delhi Riots: Following Court's Strictures, Delhi Police Commissioner Constitutes Special Cell For Monitoring Investigations

The Delhi Police Commissioner, Rakesh Asthana has constituted a 'Special Investigation Cell' for the purpose of expediting and streamlining the process of investigation into the North East Delhi Riots cases.

The development comes pursuant to the recent observations made by a Delhi Court regarding police's failure to take appropriate measures for prosecution of such cases.

The Cell shall be constituted under the Chairmanship of Special Commissioner of Police, Central Zone and will include three members, Joint Commissioner of Police, Eastern Range; DCP, North East and Additional DCP 1 North East.

"The Committee shall take stock of all pending investigation/ pending trial riots cases, being investigated in the North East district and immediately chalk out a time bound strategy to ensure expeditious investigation and effective prosecution of riots cases. The emphasis should be on scientific and technical evidence to be brought on record," the order reads.

Recently, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg pulled up the Delhi Police for failure of its officers to take appropriate measures for prosecution of Delhi riots cases, thereby causing avoidable delay in committal or trials of the cases.

Accordingly, the Court had directed the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to personally look into the issues pointed out by the Court and also to ensure that the prosecution of riots cases is done effectively.

Mr. KG Tyagi, ACP (retd.) has been appointed as a consultant to monitor riots cases.

The office order states that the Committee shall ensure filing of all Supplementary Chargesheets in Court expeditiously.

"All the case files of PI cases shall be properly scrutinized and the Investigating Officers shall be guided suitably to complete the investigation in more effective and time bound manner by adducing all possible evidences on record," it adds.

It has also been stated that the officers shall personally liaise with the Spl. Public Prosecutors to ensure their presence in Court in all matters, to represent the case of prosecution on each date effectively. 

"In case the Spl. PP is unable to attend the Court due to some unavoidable circumstances, the Ld. Court shall be informed in advance so that no inconvenience is caused to the Ld. Court and a suitable adjournment be taken from the Ld. Court. In such cases, Senior Police Officers will remain present in the Court to effectively present the facts to the Court," it states further.

This comes after the CMM had clarified that it shall be constrained to pass adverse orders against the State, as per law, including imposition of adjournment costs to be deducted from the salary of officers responsible.

"Commissioner of Police, Delhi is further directed to ensure the presence of DCP NE before this Court, if he wishes to avail the opportunity of personal hearing on the next date so as to apprise the Court about the difficulties if any faced by him in compliance of directions of this Court, failing which the Court shall be constrained to pass an appropriate order as per law without any further opportunity of hearing to him," the Court had said.