'Flawed Investigation' : Retired IPS Officers Question Delhi Police Probe Into Delhi Riots Cases [Read Letter]

Calling it a flawed investigation, the group of senior officers has called for a fair reinvestigation of all the riot cases.

The open letter expresses the pain felt by serving as well as retired police officers who believe in upholding Constitutional values and the Rule of Law at learning that the probe and challans submitted in Court are believed to be politically motivated.

"It indeed is a sad day in the history of Indian police that investigations and challans submitted in the Court by Delhi Police in connection with riots of this year are widely believed to be partisan and politically motivated. It pains all those police officers, serving as well as retired, who believe in upholding the rule of law and our Constitution", states the letter by these officers who belong to a larger group of retired officers from different services called Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG).

The letter goes on to aver that there were attempts by a Special Commissioner of Delhi Police to influence the investigation on the basis of resentment of Hindu people who were against arrests of rioters from their community. This 'majoritarian attitude' towards a probe would not only lead to a travesty of justice for the family of the victims belonging to the minority community, but would also mean that the real perpetrators would not be punished and roam free.

These officers have further emphasized that people who were exercising their fundamental rights in protesting or speaking out against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are the ones who were implicated without any concrete evidence. Communicating their pain and anguish at people exercising fundamental rights being targeted, the retired officers enunciate that they were implicated in violation of principles of fair investigation.

Moreover, in contrast to this, it is alleged that those who actually instigated violence and are associated with the BJP have not been caught by the police. This, warns the group of officers, is a dangerous precedent which not only shakes the faith of people in the concept of justice and fairness but could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the society.

"Basing investigations on 'disclosures' without concrete evidence violates all principles of fair investigation. While implicating leaders and activists, who expressed their views against CAA, all those who instigated violence and are associated with the ruling party have been let off the hook.

Such investigation will only make people lose faith in democracy, justice, fairness and the Constitution. A dangerous thought that may ultimately shake the pillars of an orderly society and lead to breakdown of law and order." -Reads the open letter written by Shafi Alam(former Director General, National Crime Record Bureau), K Saleem Ali (former Special Director, CBI), Mohinderpal Aulakh(former DGP(Jails), Punjab), AS Daulat (former OSD, J&K), Aloke B Lal(former DGP(prosecutions), Uttarakhand), Amitabh Mathur (former Director, Aviation Research Centre), Avinash Mohananey(former DGP, Sikkim), PGJ Nampoothiri (former DGP, Gujarat) and AK Samantha (former DGP(intelligence), WB). 

Earlier, retired senior policeman and renowned IPS officer Julio Ribeiro had questioned the manner of investigation of Delhi riots.

"The Delhi Police has taken action against peaceful protestors but deliberately failed to register cognizable offences against those who made hate speeches which triggered the riots in N.E. Delhi. It troubles sane and apolitical persons, like me, why Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma have not been arraigned before the Courts of law while deeply-hurt Muslim women, peacefully protesting against discriminations based on religion, were lodged for months together in jail!", Ribeiro had written.

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[Read Letter]