R-Day violence: Delhi HC junks plea seeking punishment for police officials
Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Nov, 2021 11:24 AM
New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking removal of the then Delhi Police Commissioner S N Srivastava from his post and punishment for police officials who allegedly failed to discharge their duty during the farmers' tractor rally in the national capital on January 26 (Republic Day).
A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Jyoti Singh 'dismissed for default' the plea filed by petitioner Dhananjai Jain, as nobody from the petitioner's side appeared in the matter.
In his plea, the petitioner sought the removal of Srivastava, who later retired, and punishment to all the police officers as the government and police 'completely failed' in maintaining law and order in an 'effective manner.'
The plea had been filed a day after farmers breached barricading and clashed with police in protest against the three new farm laws.
The petitioner further contended that the police personnel posted at the Red Fort were left abandoned due to a lack of timely decision-making by the Police Commissioner.
"Maintaining law and order is the prime responsibility of Delhi Police which is under the direct control of the Union Home Ministry, but both have miserably failed in the discharge of that duty," it alleged.
He also sought immediate removal of people squatting under the garb of the farmers' agitation and clearance of all roads and public places.
A request for adequate paramilitary forces to be deployed to protect monuments, life, and property of citizens was also made by the petitioner.
On January 26, farmers swarmed the Red Fort and waved farmer union flags on its ramparts. They even hoisted a pennant with a Sikh religious symbol from a flagpole.
Farmers protesting on the Ghazipur border at Delhi for the last 11 months against the three farm laws enacted by the Centre last year, have started to open the service lane to ease the traffic. They said it is the police who have closed the road and not them. Farmers belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) on Thursday started removing the tents built on the service road to start the traffic movement.
Two days after announcing to launch his own political outfit to serve the interests of the people, two-time Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday slammed AICC general secretary Harish Rawat, saying the party has damaged its own interests by not trusting him and giving the party into the hands of an 'unstable person' like Navjot Sidhu.
The data comes on a day when India reached the milestone of 100 crore vaccinations, and demonstrates that lack of vaccine hesitancy has played a big role in achieving this number.
Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Singh, submitted his client has been in jail for the past two years, and added that his custody is not required, as two charge sheets have already been filed.
Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for delay in recording statements of witnesses before a judicial magistrate in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, where eight persons were killed, and also told the state government to dispel the impression that it is dragging its feet in the matter.
In a statement, the minister termed the decision by the CBSE to include all regional languages in the minor subjects as a conspiracy to wean students away from their mother tongue.
