[Delhi Riots] Police in state of inscrutable indolence: Delhi Court requests DCP to personally monitor the investigation

Considering that the Delhi Police was yet to seize the video footage from cameras installed at the Jafarabad and Maujpur Metro Station and from the photographers or take steps to preserve them, a Delhi Court on Friday requested the DCP concerned to personally monitor the investigation in a Delhi riots case. .They say a picture is worth a thousand words and a video is worth a thousand pictures. The police seems to be in a state of inscrutable indolence in collection of relevant video footage. The indolence is a cause of concern as evidence in criminal matters is invariably ephemeral on nature.Delhi Court.The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana while extending the judicial custody of accused persons under FIR No 59/2020 (Crime Branch, Special Cell) till August 14. .Accused persons in the case include Pinjra tod activists Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, former Congress municipal councillor Ishrat Jahan etc. .The Court noted that during the course of the arguments on the plea by Devangana Kalita for a court-monitored probe, the Investigating Officer had informed the Court that the police was in the process of collecting all the relevant video footages, including the one procured from metro stations and photographers engaged by the police. .Delhi Court dismisses plea by Pinjra Tod activists for court-monitored investigation in a Delhi riots case.Regretfully, ACP Hriday Bushan and Inspector Anil Kumar have failed to point out the seizure of the relevant video footage, the Court recorded. .The Court added that the police even failed to show if any request/notice was served upon the metro officials for preservation of the video footage, so as to save an important video footage. .This is not the task of this court to direct the police as to how and what evidence is required to be collected, however, this court is duty bound to ensure a fair investigation.the Court remarked. .Stressing on the importance of the video footage as a piece of evidence in the case, the Court thus requested the DCP concerned to personally monitor the investigation and ensure that the "sterling image of Delhi Polie remains blemish-free and the flow of the course of justice remains unsullied". .Advocate Amit Prasad is the SPP in the case. .Advocate Seema Mishra appeared for Shadab Ahmad. Advocates Abhishek Singh, Amit Bhalla appeared for Shifa-ur-Rehman. Advocates Adit Pujari and Tusharika Mattoo represented Natasha Narwal and Devengana Kalita, respectively. Advocate Sowjhanya Shankaran represented Asif Iqbal. Advocates Arjun Dewan and Akash Arora represented Athar Khan. .Read the Order: