The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged vandalism of a temple in Chawri Bazar, noting that the police have already filed three FIRs and investigation was going on.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice C. Hari Shankar also commented on the petitioner wanting the culprits in the case to be arrested overnight, saying his “expectations are too high”.
“The respondents [police and Centre] have already arrested seven persons and another six juveniles are in observation homes. Thus, it appears that the respondents are serious,” the Bench said. Centre’s standing counsel Anil Soni, appearing for the Ministry of Home Affairs, and counsel representing the police told the court that CCTV footage was being examined and more arrest may be made.
After this, the Bench said it was absolutely “premature” for the petitioner to approach the court at such an early stage of investigation.
“Nothing can be done overnight even by an efficient person or institution. Some breathing time ought to be given…the criminal law has been put into motion and therefore, we see no reason for setting up an SIT,” the Bench said dismissing the petition by advocate Alakh Alok Shrivastava. He had sought an SIT probe into the conspiracy behind the attack on a temple in Old Delhi on June 30.
