HC directs Delhi Police chief to look into CM house vandalism case
Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 25 Apr, 2022 10:20 AM
New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) Observing there was a serious lapse of security in the vandalism incident that happened outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's house, the Delhi High Court on Monday directed the city Police Commissioner to look into the matter.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla noted that the interim status report filed by the Delhi Police shows that the police force failed to prevent miscreants from reaching the residence of the Chief Minister and vandalising the area.
"In our view, the security lapse is serious and should be looked at by the Commissioner of Delhi Police and he should inquire into three aspects, whether bandobast was adequate, reasons for the failure of arrangements, fix responsibility for the admitted lapse," it said.
Accordingly, the court asked the police to file a further status report within two weeks, disclosing aspects with regard to the review of security arrangements and what further steps have been taken, so that such incidents don't recur in the future.
The bench said the status report was to be filed in a sealed cover, as it posted the matter for further hearing on May 17.
AAP lawmaker Saurabh Bhardwaj had moved the High Court seeking the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to undertake an independent criminal probe into the incident which took place outside CM Kejriwal's house.
Around 70 people were detained for creating ruckus outside Kejriwal's residence during a protest that was spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha over his remarks in the Delhi Assembly on 'The Kashmir Files' movie that were deemed as "against the Kashmiri Pandit community" among the saffron clan.
On Wednesday, the Prime Minister's rally in Ferozepur had to be cancelled due to a security lapse after some protesters blocked a route and forced his convoy to spend about 20 minutes on a flyover. The Prime Minister was enroute the National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala when the incident happened.
On Thursday, senior BJP leaders including chief ministers of the party ruled states offered prayers at temples across the country for the well-being and long life of Prime Minister Modi after his security was breached in Punjab on January 5.
Most of these farmers had earlier stated that they were present at the spot but were not involved in the attack. They were, at that time, charged under bailable sections such as 'rioting' and 'voluntarily causing hurt' and were let off by the SIT officials under Section 41 of the CrPC.
The Congress is witnessing internal bickering on the issue of security breach of the Prime Minister and Congress MP from Punjab Manish Tewari has termed the incidence as most unfortunate and said the matter should be probed by a sitting High Court Judge.
Addressing a gathering in Tanda in Hoshiarpur district after laying the foundation stone of development work, the Chief Minister said there was no threat to the life of the Prime Minister but he cancelled his programme on Wednesday because of the thin presence of people at the BJP's rally.
High drama was witnessed on Thursday after 125 of 179 international passengers, who arrived at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport Rajasansi, near here, from Italy, in an Air India flight tested positive on arrival. The Covid passengers were asked to quarantine in local hospital as per the guidelines of the government.
