Delhi violence: HC transfers pleas for SIT, preserving CCTV footage to Chief Justice bench

The Delhi High Court bench headed by Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh transferred pleas for Special Investigation Team on Delhi violence and directed Delhi Police to preserve the CCTV footage of the violence to Chief Justice bench.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Wednesday said the two pleas seeking setting up of a SIT on northeast Delhi riots and directions to Delhi Police to preserve the CCTV footage of the violence would be heard by another bench, of the Chief Justice before whom similar petitions are pending.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh was informed that various petitions seeking similar relief are already pending before a bench headed by Chief Justice D N Patel in view of the Supreme Court directions.

The bench, which conducted the hearing through video conferencing, said the two petitions filed by Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind be listed along with other riots related pleas before the bench headed by the Chief Justice on July 13.

Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind said in its pleas that Delhi Police should be directed to preserve CCTV footage of the riot-affected areas from February 23 to March 1 and should not remove the debris without collecting evidence from the site.

It also sought FIRs against those involved in the violence and setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising retired judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court.

During the hearing, advocates Rajat Nair and Amit Mahajan, representing Delhi Police, told the court that in pursuance to the Supreme Court's direction, seven other petitions related to northeast Delhi riots are listed before the bench headed by the Chief Justice and also gave details of those pleas.

There are seven other petitions related to the riots which are pending in the high court, including by lawyers, students of JMI, residents of Okhla where the university is located and the Imam of Jama Masjid mosque opposite Parliament House.

They have also sought action including medical treatment and compensation for the students, setting up of SIT and registration of FIRs against the erring police officers.

Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, in its pleas through advocate M Taiyab Khan, said: There are serious allegations of damaging the CCTV cameras installed in the riots affected areas by the police which is evident from the videos surfaced and circulating in the social media."

It claimed that FIRs have not been lodged against persons responsible for the riots and alleged that the police is not accepting the complaint in which the accused are named and they are insisting to give complaint against unknown persons.

It alleged that the father of one of the riot victims has made specific allegation against BJP leader Kapil Mishra as being responsible for the death of his son and the riots.

The pleas have further sought taking legal and disciplinary action against police officials for their alleged inaction or active participation in the riots and destruction of evidence.

It has also sought a direction to the Delhi government to provide adequate compensation to the victims that is commensurate with the scheme for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.PTI