Taking note of delays in trial of north-east Delhi riots cases, a court here directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to issue directions to investigating officers to supply copies of the chargesheets to the accused well within time.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dinesh Kumar passed the directions after several accused in at least three riots cases submitted that they have not received the chargesheet despite the court’s orders.
The court issued notice to the investigating officers concerned to explain as to why the copies of the chargesheets were not supplied to the accused through jail superintendent as directed. It said the reply should be forwarded by the ACP.
“It has been noticed that the IOs of various cases are not supplying the copies to the accused persons despite directions of the court within time which is resulting in delay in committal of various cases to the Sessions court for further proceedings in the matter. Therefore, copy of this order be sent to DCP, north-east, to issue a direction to IOs in all the police stations to supply the copy of chargesheet to the accused persons well within time before next date of hearing,” the court said.
The court put up the matters for further hearing on January 7.
It said there were various issues of safety and security of police officers and their informers which has to be accounted for while dealing with such an application.
‘Perfunctory’ probe
Meanwhile, three persons were granted bail in another riots case, with the court saying the probe carried out was “perfunctory” and the chargesheet was filed in a “lackadaisical manner”.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat granted the relief to Osama, Aatir and Gulfam on furnishing a bail bond of ₹10,000 with one surety of like amount each in the case related to looting and burning of a fruits godown during the riots in Jafrabad in February last year.
The court said the list of witnesses filed with the reply of the police to the bail pleas mentioned some witnesses but no such statements had been filed with the chargesheet in May last year.
It noted the reply to the bail pleas mentioned that the statements of two alleged eyewitnesses have been recorded by the police, which would be filed with the supplementary chargesheet.
