Delhi riots: Ensure fair and unbiased probe, Amit Shah directs police

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked the top officials brass of the Delhi Police to ensure “fair” and “unbiased” investigation in cases releated to the northeast Delhi riots, officials said on Monday. Shah chaired a high level meeting to review the probe.

He also instructed Delhi Police to ensure that no such riots break in the national capital in the future. He directed to ensure exemplary punishment for all culprits in the case, irrespective of their religion and background. Top police officials were told to prepare a robust case against the accused in the meeting that took place last week. 

Shah asked the police to rely on as much scientific evidence as possible to nail the guilty. The meeting was attended by Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava and senior officials of the home ministry. 

On February 24 year, communal violence engulfed northeast Delhi, leaving at least 53 people dead, most of from a certain community. The police has been accused of displaying communal bias by reportedly diluting charges against the accused from the other community. 

Over 1,300 accused had been arrested in over 750 cases related to the violence, with the number of those arrested from the two communities “almost same”. However, the Delhi Police has not made the FIRs public.

The Delhi Minorities Commission  named senior BJP leaders in its fact-finding report for their role in the riots.   It has also slammed the Delhi Police for their “failure to protect life and property”.