“In my opinion, a serious re-look over the quality of documents/evidence placed on record in the case is required by senior officer with all serious attention," the court said. (Express file photo by Praveen Khanna)Noting that it was high time to control the casual and callous approach of any investigating officer, a Delhi court has called for sensitisation of IOs and said that there needs to be a serious re-look at the quality of evidence placed in a Northeast Delhi riots case.
Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramchala made the observations while dealing with an FIR registered on the complaint of one Salim Khan, wherein he stated that his barber shop and spare parts shop were looted and set on fire (during the February 2020 riots).
The court also expressed displeasure over “casually prepared site plans” by stating that preparation of the same was not even expected in cases triable by Metropolitan Magistrates.
“Unfortunately, this kind of site plan has been filed in such a serious case involving session triable case. Moreover, from documents filed on the record, I find that certain photographs have been placed but without any certificate under Section 65-B of Indian Evidence Act,” the court said.
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The special public prosecutor told the court that he has “already communicated such facts to the IO as well as DCP (Northeast) in writing”.
“In my opinion, a serious re-look over the quality of documents/evidence placed on record in the case is required by senior officer with all serious attention. Hence, DCP (Northeast) is requested to go through the records of this case and to submit his report, if the prosecution is to be carried out (based on) the same site plan and other material as placed on record,” the court said.
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First published on: 06-08-2022 at 07:46:53 am