New Delhi: After the Delhi Police registered 148 First Information Reports and arrested 630 persons in connection with the violence that rocked North East Delhi this past week and left 42 dead and over 200 seriously injured, several civil rights activists have urged the police to proactively display the details of all those in its custody.
Letter to CP from 10 prominent citizens
A letter to the Commissioner of Delhi Police, signed by Anjali Bhardwaj of Satark Nagrik Sangathan on behalf of nine other activists besides her, stated that the police should display information about those arrested or in its custody. She said this was mandated under Section 41-C of the Criminal Procedure Code. Others who have joined this request are Annie Raja, Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Rahul Rou, Saba Dewan, Pamela Philipose, Amrita Johri, Navsharan Singh and Indira Unninayar.
Pointing out that lawyers and journalists, who have visited the violence-affected areas, have reported that the exact number of those held by the police was not known, Bhardwaj wrote that information on this issue would “provide clarity to affected families and stop rumours”.
Families are searching for many ‘missing’
The appeal comes as many people have been reported missing in the area ever since it was gripped by violence on February 24. Family members and friends of people have been searching for their missing ones in hospitals and mortuaries and doing rounds of police stations to learn about them.
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In the communication, the activists have mentioned how the Delhi police spokesperson had, on February 28, stated that 148 FIRs had been registered and 630 people arrested in connection with the violence.
They said Section 41C of the CrPC makes it incumbent that a police control room be established in all districts while Section 41 C(2) demands that the names and addresses of all persons arrested be displayed on the notice board outside the control room.
Disclosure will provide clarity, end rumours
The letter also stated that compliance with these sections and providing information of those arrested and in custody was necessary to provide clarity to families of those arrested about their whereabouts and to ensure that accurate information was reaching all those concerned. Furthermore, it would ensure that the suffering of families was not aggravated by the spread of misinformation.
Bhardwaj said despite the law being clear on this aspect, information on those arrested was not being displayed at the police control room in the districts of North East and Shahdara and in the police stations falling within their jurisdiction.
Bhardwaj insisted that clarity in the matter would go a long way in dispelling rumours and misinformation which was impacting many.
While all the FIRs are being registered by the local police, these cases would be investigated by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police which has already constituted two Special Investigation Teams to probe the violence.