A Delhi court pulled up today the police for not filing an action taken report (ATR) despite several opportunities in a complaint seeking lodging of an FIR in the Ramjas College incident in which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised in February this year.
Taking note of failure of the police in filing a detailed ATR on merits, Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra directed the joint commissioner of Delhi Police, Crime Branch, to look into the matter and file the report in the court by August 3.
“I find merit in the submissions of the complainant that the police have failed to file the ATR and have delayed it. In view of the circumstances, the joint commissioner of police concerned is directed to look into the matter, expedite the inquiry so that the ATR be filed on or before the next date before this court,” the magistrate said.
During the proceedings, the police filed a status report stating that the inquiry committee, which has been probing complaints relating to the incidents of February 21-22 this year, has recorded the statements of 62 people, including students and police officials.
The report said that video recording produced by the media and other witnesses and a CD given by complainant Vivek Garg have also been examined by the committee.
It said the inquiry wass at a final stage and sought time to conclude it.
Complainant and advocate Garg, however, opposed it saying despite various opportunities no ATR has been filed and as the police was not filing the report, the court should proceed for direction to the probe agency to register an FIR.
The court noted that the ATR was sought from the police by its March 6 order and since then numerable opportunities had been given to file the report.
“No ATR has been filed on the merit of the case. Due to this, the application of the complainant is getting delayed.
Even today, a similar report was filed citing pendency of the inquiry and seeking time,” it said.
On July 1, the chief metropolitan magistrate had dismissed a plea filed by the police seeking transfer of the complaint to another court after the investigating officer failed to appear before it.
The court was hearing the complaint seeking lodging of an FIR into the February incidents during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised at Ramjas College by members of students groups AISA and SFI.
The plea had said a similar incident had taken place in JNU last year.
It alleged that “anti-national slogans/activities were being carried out by leaders/students of AISA/SFI in Ramjas College, shamelessly and openly which supported India’s enemy Pakistan. The criminal acts of accused were also boosting the morale of terrorists against our country.”
It claimed that the organisers of a seminar had misled the college administration to obtain its nod for the event and “conducted activities against the nation and tried to wage a war against the country”.
The plea sought lodging of an FIR for alleged offences of sedition, criminal conspiracy, waging war against the State and defamation under the IPC.
On February 21, members of RSS student wing ABVP had gathered outside the college and shouted slogans in protest against the seminar for which JNU students Omar Khalid and Shehla Rashid were invited.
The ABVP members allegedly pelted stones, vandalised the venue and disrupted the seminar.
The next day violent clashes erupted between Left and ABVP students leaving several of them and three teachers injured.
( Source – PTI )
