Everyone should accept Batla House verdict: Cong

Noting that stakeholders have the right to challenge the trial court verdict in an appelate court, Sanghvi emphasised that today's judgement was 'based on facts' and the encounter should not be politicised

With a Delhi court holding the controversial Batla House encounter as genuine, Congress today said all sections should accept the verdict and guard against politicising the issue so that the morale of police forces is not undermined.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi sought to downplay the statements made by his party colleague Digvijay Singh questioning the genuiness of the September 2008 encounter, saying individuals could have commented in a 'surcharged atmosphere' but those should not be given credence now.

'Nobody has been as clearest and strident as Congress party in condemening fake encounters wherever they have taken place. But after the judicial verdict has come after going through all the facts, all sections of the society should accept it,' he told reporters.

Noting that stakeholders have the right to challenge the trial court verdict in an appelate court, he emphasised that today's judgement was 'based on facts' and the encounter should not be politicised.

'Otherwise, you will be undermining the fabric of the democratic society and our judicial systems and will be speaking irresponsibly,' Singhvi said.

'It is important not to undermine the morale of those who are policing us,' he said.

When pointed out that Digvijay Singh had raised questions on the genuiness of the encounter in which a Delhi Police Inspector was killed, Singhvi said the Congress had been maintaining that his 'views' should not be treated as the party line.