Delhi HC asks for report on police attack on acid victims

The Delhi High Court has asked Delhi Police to file response along with last year's December 18 CCTV footage of some acid attack victims who were allegedly subjected to "custodial violence" at Parliament Street police station here.

Justice Rajiv Shakdher asked Delhi Police to ascertain the correct position and file the footage of CCTV cameras.

Earlier, the court asked police to preserve the CCTV footage while it heard a plea of five acid attack victims, who alleged they were beaten up by police and kept in an enclosure inside the police station.

"If a position is taken that there are no other CCTV cameras or CDs or that the footage from other cameras is not available, this aspect will be stated in clear terms by way of affidavit filed by a senior police officer," the court directed, and asked police to ascertain the correct position of CCTV cameras and file the footage.

Police had earlier submitted the CCTV footage to the court. However, the petitioners alleged that though there are several CCTV cameras positioned in the Parliament Street police station, the entire footage has not been filed.

A group of 'Stop Acid Attack' campaigners, including five acid attack survivors, was detained by police on December 18, 2014, when they tried to stage a protest outside Parliament House here.

The campaigners claimed they were carrying out a peaceful protest outside Parliament House when they were forcibly evicted by police and taken to Parliament Street police station.

They told the court that Delhi Police used "forcible and violent means" to remove them and other protesters.

The plea said: "The footages of the CCTV cameras installed at Parliament Street police station are a piece of key evidence as all the unwarranted physical and custodial violence was recorded on the CCTV cameras."

The plea also sought damages of Rs.10 lakh from Delhi Police.