A day after the Supreme Court ordered registration of criminal cases against police personnel who used excessive force and Ramdev supporters who resorted to violence during the Ramlila Maidan crackdown last year, Delhi Police has said it will seek legal opinion on whether it should include fresh criminal culpability in the existing FIRs or register new ones.
The police will also review the CCTV footage as well as 11 “unedited” CDs submitted by television channels to the Supreme Court, and take action accordingly.
Sources said the Delhi Police has already identified people who indulged in violence and rioting. The role of each will be examined, statement recorded and action taken. Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dharmendra Kumar said, “We have been given three months to file a chargesheet in the court of the magistrate concerned. We will examine the entire footage once again to fix individual responsibility.”
After the crackdown on the night of June 5 last year, Delhi Police registered cases relating to rioting, preventing public servants from discharging duties, and damaging public property. The investigation was handed over to Inspector Jogendra Prasad. The accused were identified as Ravi Naudiyal (23), Arun Singh Rana (25), Yogendra Arya (30), Sarvamitra (26), Prem (45), Surinder Singh (22), Bhagirath (32), Hari Om (32), Ram Naresh (33), and Ravindra (40).
Police said after the death of one of Ramdev’s followers, Rajbala, on September 26 last year, Section 304(a) (causing death due to negligence) was added to the existing FIR. In all, seven cases were registered.
In a fourth affidavit to the Supreme Court, Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta stated: “The medical record establishes that Rajbala was examined thrice by three different doctors during the first nine hours after her admission. She was conscious and oriented, and at no stage did she mention assault with lathis by policemen. She, instead, reiterated on all the three occasions that she was injured during the stampede.”
“Apart from a very short period of time when senior officers of the Delhi Police attempted to serve the order on Baba Ramdev, at no point of time did it (police) gain access to the stage. As is apparent from the viewing of the video footage, Baba Ramdev exhorted his followers... to ensure that personnel of the Delhi Police do not come to the stage to arrest him. On account of this, a large number of people clambered onto the stage,” he said.
“Our government counsellors are examining the SC order on the future course of action,” said Kumar.
