A Delhi court hearing the bail application of a man arrested in connection with a murder during the north-east Delhi riots was informed that the entire team of Crime Branch probing the case has been quarantined at home.
On June 3, an Assistant Commissioner of Police told the court hearing the Rahul Solanki murder case that the “entire team of the investigating officer (IO) of this case has been in home quarantine and cannot appear today”.
Official sources confirmed that around eight officers of the Crime Branch are in home quarantine after a canteen worker was found positive for COVID-19.
Following the ACP’s submission, the court called for a “fresh reply from IO through e-mail and to send link to all concerned parties through their respective e-mail IDs for Webex online meeting for the next date” on June 6.
The court was hearing the bail plea of accused Sirajuddine, who was picked up by the police on March 28 from his house and is currently in Mandoli Jail. The FIR based on which he was arrested relates to the death of 26-year-old Solanki on February 24 from gunshot injury.
‘Targeted persecution’
While the police arrested Sirajuddine on account of his purported involvement in the acts mentioned under the FIR including rioting, the bail plea argued that the FIR “does not even remotely mention” his involvement in rioting and vandalising property.
“The arrest of the applicant can certainly be termed as targeted persecution of the poor and marginalised section of the society,” the bail plea said, submitting that Sirajuddine is the breadwinner of the family and has to earn a living on a daily basis.