HC raps CBI over tardy probe in Jawahar Bagh case of Mathura

The Allahabad High Court today rapped the CBI for tardy investigation into the Jawahar Bagh episode of Mathura where violence during eviction of squatters from the public park last year had left more than 20 people dead, including two police officials.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice D B Bhosle and Justice Yashwant Varma, which had on March 2 asked the CBI to complete its investigation in two months, expressed strong displeasure when the probe agency sought more time for completing its inquiry.
The court reprimanded the agency for failing to submit a report on the progress of investigation so far and directed investigating officers of the two teams, set up as per directions of the court, to appear in person on the next date of hearing on May 9.

While ordering the CBI inquiry, the court directed setting up of "two independent teams comprising adequate number of officers".
One of these teams was to "investigate and submit a fresh report" on the violence at Jawahar Bagh while the other was directed to "undertake a comprehensive investigation with regard to the unexplained inaction on part of the state government" despite intelligence inputs.
Appearing on behalf of BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, the lead petitioner in the matter, advocates Rajiv Lochan Shukla and Indra Dutt Tripathi also submitted that so far the CBI has not recorded the statements of the family members of slain Additional Superintendent of Police Mukul Dwivedi.

Upadhyay had demanded a CBI inquiry on the ground that self-styled cult leader Ram Briksh Yadav, who along with hundreds of his followers had kept the sprawling public park under illegal occupation for more than two years, enjoyed the patronage of top leaders of the Samajwadi Party which was then in power in Uttar Pradesh.

Upadhyay's counsel submitted that it was yet to be ascertained as to whether Ram Briksh Yadav was among those killed in the violence of June 2 and thatforensic science laboratory's report of the DNA tests of family members of Yadav was not submitted by the CBI in its affidavits.

They also reiterated the request for narco tests of key persons involved in the incident.
A huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the public park after the eviction of the squatters.
The squatters, who were said to be around 3,000 in number, ran a parallel administration at Jawahar Bagh where they had built huts and toilets and those not belonging to their group were prevented from entering the public park.