Area magistrates find gaps in probe into Jat quota stir
CHANDIGARH: The progress reports by area magistrates on the investigations into FIRs registered by Haryana police into Jat quota violence of February 2016 have painted a poor picture of the probe so far.
The reports by area magistrates of Sonepat, Panipat and Karnal among few other districts were taken up by the high court bench of justice SS Saron and justice Arun Palli in which most judicial officers have complained of shoddy investigation.
“Result of 100 cases out of 105 cases (registered) leaves no doubt that investigation has not been conducted properly. And if justice has to prevail all such matters should be handed over to some independent investigation agency ,” states a report by Manglesh Kumar Choubey, additional civil judge, Gohana in Sonepat, adding in 15 FIRs, 70 people were included just to identify the accused in photographs and in another 13 cases, 83 were booked.
“It appears that as the agitation was stage managed, so is the present investigation,” he added.
Amit Sharma, additional civil judge, Ganaur, in his report said that though Yash Malik, national president of United Indian Jaat Reservation Struggle Committee, among other senior leaders were booked for rioting and sedition, they have not been arrested and Malik and others were coming regularly on TV channels.
The investigation into the cases is “far from satisfactory” as no accused had been arrested, he added.
The judicial officers have accused the investigation officers of dilly dallying on investigation. “It is submitted that the steps taken by the investigation agency to apprehend remaining accused do not appear to be satisfactory,” said Hemant Yadav, additional chief judicial magistrate, Karnal, adding that though 20-25 persons were booked for damage to public property and rioting, only four were arrested.