New Delhi, Jan 5 (PTI) A court here has castigated the Delhi Police for not investigating a complaint in connection with the 2020 North East Delhi riots and directed the superior police officer concerned to investigate all rioting complaints at the earliest.

The court was hearing a case against 21 accused in a rioting case registered by the Khajuri Khas police station.

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Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala noted the Investigating Officer (IO), while filing a status report, said one complaint was yet to be investigated.

“This is a very unfortunate scenario that even after almost 3 years of the alleged incident, the investigating agency is yet to start a formal investigation…,” the judge said in an order passed on Wednesday.

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The judge observed that the IO was “still in doldrums" as to under which particular FIR this complaint is to be investigated.

“I need not inform that the same investigation agency has registered a number of FIRs on the basis of different complaints and I am unable to comprehend any reason for the same agency to register fresh FIR if IO is unable to find any other FIR related to the incident of the same place, date and time,” the judge added.

The court then referred the matter to the deputy commissioner of police (northeast) to immediately ensure all complaints regarding the riots were investigated at the earliest.

“It is reminded that it is the duty of the investigating agency to investigate any such complaint and take them to a legitimate end,” the court said, adding, “Copy of the order be sent to (the) DCP for necessary action and for compliance report.”

The court has posted the matter for further proceedings on February 1.

During the hearing, the court cancelled the bail of an accused Mohd. Irfan after noting his non-appearance on the last date of hearing.

“Counsel for Mohd. Irfan did not bother to appear on the last date of hearing and in these circumstances the court cannot be dependent on the sweet will of surety as well as of the counsel of such accused persons to ensure the appearance of the accused,” the court said.

It said another accused Faeem also did not appear on the last date and his advocate informed the court only on Wednesday that the accused had reached the court late.

“Coming to the court at a belated time cannot be the sufficient performance of duty for any accused even otherwise and in these circumstances bail of accused Faeem is also cancelled and he is taken into custody,” the court said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)