Police asked for report on DJB office vandalism

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the city police on a plea by AAP MLA Raghav Chadha, seeking registration of FIR against Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta, other BJP leaders and unknown persons in connection with vandalism at the Delhi Jal Board office on December 24, 2020.

Metropolitan magistrate Gajender Singh Nagar asked the SHO of the police station concerned to file the report and posted the matter for further hearing on February 15.

Chadha, through his counsel, Prashant Manchanda alleged that the Delhi police have failed to discharge its duties properly and registered an FIR under “trivial” sections like disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, negligence and common intention against unknown persons.

While seeking monitoring of the investigation by the court, Chadha has also sought additions of sections of unlawful assembly, harming a public servant on duty and relevant sections of the Epidemic Act.

The plea has also sought registration of FIR against the police officers for diluting the material facts and not discharging their duties properly. It has contended that despite a PCR call from a woman employee of the DJB, who was trapped inside when the attack was happening, a belated FIR was registered by the police on a complaint by the Head constable.

The plea had also contended that violence was aggravated owing to the conspicuous inaction on the part of Delhi police “who nonchalantly stood as mute spectators while the riotous mob created havoc and illegally trespassed the Delhi Jal Board Headquarters and woefully ravaged the public property of the DJB.