‘Cops not duly probing riots cases’

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday alleged that the Delhi Police is not conducting proper investigations into cases related to the northeast Delhi riots which took place in February last year.

Pointing out that charge sheets have been filed in only 35 out of over 700 riots cases, senior AAP leader and Kalkaji MLA Atishi, addressing a press conference, said, “...even after 1.5 years, the Delhi police has taken no action or conducted any proper investigation and it is evident from the fact that the courts have repeatedly questioned the investigation of Delhi police.”

“...not just the AAP, even the courts -- be it the sessions court, high court and the Supreme Court -- have raised questions on the investigation procedures of the police,” Atishi said.

On the issue of the appointment of special prosecutors, which has led to a tussle between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor (LG), Atishi said, “When the special prosecutors were asked in the courts why they were not informed of the matters or did not present the facts of the investigation properly, they said were not briefed about the investigations by the Delhi Police.”

A subsequent statement by the AAP added, “This makes it clear that the Delhi police and the LG working under the BJP do not want the Delhi riots to be investigated.”

Despite multiple attempts, the Delhi Police and the L-G’S office did not respond to requests seeking comment.

The tussle over appointment of special prosecutors is currently being heard in high court.