The Delhi High Court on Tuesday, 15 March, asked the Delhi Police to complete the investigation into the death of 23-year-old Faizan, who died during the Delhi riots of 2020, without any “influence and fear.”
This comes after two years a video went viral, wherein Faizan along with other injured men can be seen being beaten by security personnel, who coerce Faizan and others to sing the national anthem.
While hearing the petition which was filed by Faizan’s mother in 2020 for a court-monitored SIT probe in the case, Justice Chandra Dhari Singh reprimanded the police and said, “Whatever important person is involved, whatever VIP is involved, you have to complete the investigation without any influence. There is a purpose for keeping this writ petition in this court. I am not here to interfere in any manner in the investigation of the investigating agency (but) if I saw anything hanky panky in this (status) report, then I can interfere,” The Indian Express reported.
On Tuesday, the judge asked the police, “After two years, why has the chargesheet not been filed?”
The police in January had told the court that it has identified and questioned a head constable in the case.
What Did the Police Say?
The police told the court that a lot of policemen from different units had reported during the end February riots, and on the basis of the technical evidence, the police has zeroed in on a head constable in the Delhi Police. The police sought eight more weeks to further probe the case.
Meanwhile, advocate Vrinda Grover, representing Faizan’s mother, has said that as per the police’s sealed cover report, only the test pertaining to the voice sample of police officer is pending.
Grover also submitted that the investigation has now found that Jyoti Nagar police station, where Faizan allegedly remained detained till 24 February, hours before his death at a hospital, has tried to mislead the probe, The Indian Express reported.
Faizan had died in 2020 soon after he was released from a police station where he was taken after he was allegedly assaulted by policemen. He was released late evening on 25 February 2020 from the police station, and died at a hospital on 26 February.
(With inputs from The Indian Express.)
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