PIL in SC seeks court-monitored SIT probe into Delhi violence

A public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Supreme Court on Monday sought a court-monitored special investigation team (SIT) investigation into the violence that rocked the national capital last week and led to the deaths of at least 47 people.

The PIL, filed by social activist Yogita Bhayana through advocate Utsav Singh Bains, sought a court-monitored SIT probe into the murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma, damage of places of worship in Ashok Nagar, incidents of throwing of acid on CRPF officials etc.

"Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction directing the respondents to set-up a court-monitored SIT of officers with impeccable integrity to investigate all deaths of persons in the Delhi riots 2020 including into the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma, damaging/destruction/vandalizing of places of worship in Ashok Nagar and elsewhere in Delhi, incidents of throwing acid on CRPF, destruction of home of a BSF jawan...," the PIL said.

The petition also sought directions to initiate departmental action against police officers for failure to prevent the violence and provide necessary help to the victims.

It sought directions to immediately preserve the call detail record, tower locations of all police officers posted in violence-affected areas and their superiors in the chain of command under the supervision of a judicial officer during the violence.

"Issue an appropriate writ, order or direction directing the Respondents to immediately preserve all CCTV recordings of Police Stations and CCTV recordings of riot-affected localities under supervision of a judicial officer and submit to this court," the plea added.

It sought appropriate directions to provide adequate compensation for loss of life and injury, medical aid, essential relief supplies, rehabilitation, reimburse and repair damaged private properties of riots affected persons under the supervision of a judicial officer.

Bhayana, in the petition, also sought directions to hold legal aid camps for victims with Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and for the respondents to abide by the National Guidelines on Prevention and Accountability of Communal Violence issued by the top court.