The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed Uttar Pradesh Police to submit the original X-ray plate and post-mortem video of the 25-year-old farmer, who died during the tractor parade on Republic Day here, to Delhi Police by Friday.
Justice Yogesh Khanna gave the order after Delhi Police said the Chief Medical Officer of Rampur District Hospital and the local Superintendent of Police have refused to provide the original X-ray plate and post-mortem video without specific orders from the court.
Bullet injuries
The Delhi police said it has no objection in handing over a copy of the post-mortem video and inquest report to the deceased’s grandfather, who has approached the High Court, seeking a court-monitored Special Investigating Team (SIT) probe into the incident.
“Our case is that there are no bullet injuries. If the reports show otherwise, so be it,” said Delhi government Standing Counsel [criminal] Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi police. The court said both the original documents will be retained by the investigating officer of Delhi Police for safe custody till further orders. Delhi police’s counsel additionally stated that it was willing to show footage of 12 CCTV cameras, installed around the area of the incident, if the family members of the deceased request for it.
Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing 69-year-old Hardeep Singh, the grandfather of the deceased, said a report based on the X-ray plate be prepared by medical institutes in the Capital since it has not been done till now. Justice Khanna said he will consider this aspect on the next date of hearing on March 17.
‘Reports already given’
During the hearing, the U.P. government’s Standing Counsel said the original post-mortem and inquest reports have already been handed over to the Delhi Police.
Mr. Singh, in his plea, had stated that the circumstances in which Navreet Singh lost his life are “highly suspicious”. The plea said: “Eyewitness statements corroborated by medical opinion does not rule out that the petitioner’s grandson was shot by policemen”.
“Delhi Police has without any inquiry or investigation whatsoever, has hastily prejudged the cause of death by declaring that the petitioner’s grandson died in an accident and there were no bullets fired,” the petition said. Advocate Grover had earlier argued that the way Delhi Police has conducted itself in the matter “does not inspire a shred of confidence”.
The petition also said: “As per statements made by eyewitnesses as well as the opinion of two independent medical experts, Navreet Singh received firearm injuries [bullet wounds] before he lost control of his tractor and hit police barricades...As such, the petitioner’s grandson is possibly a victim of police brutality and unwarranted use of force... the petitioner has a right to know the truth about his grandson’s death.”
