2020 Delhi riots: police asked to take ‘remedial action’ on unverified video
The Hindu
A court has directed the DCP of a particular area to “take immediate remedial action” on an unverified video against an accused booked for arson during the 2020 north-east Delhi riots.
Hearing a case related to the 2020 north-east Delhi riots, a court here recently directed the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of a particular area to “take immediate remedial action” on an unverified video against an accused booked for arson.
The direction from Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma Court came last week while hearing a matter related to the burning of some shops and a place of worship.
According to the police, the incident took place on February 25, 2020 and the accused were identified as Rahul Kumar, Suraj, Yogender Singh and Naresh.
They have been accused of being part of a riotous mob and booked under various sections of the IPC as well as Section 3 of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act, 2007.
The judge took note of the fact that there was a public witness who had identified Mr. Kumar, while there was CCTV footage regarding Mr. Suraj and Mr. Singh. Besides, there was a video against Mr. Naresh.
“..... however, when the video was sent to CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory), the report was received stating that the DVD was found inaccessible in video analyst system and, hence, no examination was carried out. The FSL report was filed by way of supplementary charge-sheet,” the court added.
It further said there is no other witness to identify if Mr. Naresh is involved in this case and it is inexplicable as to how the incriminating video, when sent to the FSL, was found to be inaccessible.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.