DM threatens legal action against Delhi Police

Shaurya Karanbir Gurung

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24

The ongoing war of words between the Delhi police and the Delhi Government intensified today. The New Delhi District Magistrate (DM) threatened to take legal action against the Delhi police for refusing to cooperate in his investigation by not giving documents and details of the case of the suicide of a 41-year-old farmer at an Aam Aadmi Party rally held in Delhi on Wednesday.

DM Sanjay Kumar had asked the police to give details of the case by 11 am today, but the police did not comply. The DM had been asked by the Delhi Government to conduct a probe into the incident.

Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said that if the DM wanted to file a complaint against the police, he must have some reasons.

Police sources explained that under Section 146 of the Delhi Police Act, a Commissioner of Police shall exercise all the powers and discharge all functions which may be exercised by a DM.

The police also has the power to investigate the incident under Section 174 (police to inquire and report on suicide, etc) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc).

Police sources claimed that there are about 7,000 cases of unnatural death, including suicides, every year in Delhi in which inquests are conducted by the police, but the Delhi Government does not show interest in these cases.

“Then, why do they want a magisterial inquiry here when the police have registered an FIR and are carrying out a thorough investigation,” sources said.

An inquest is done to ascertain the cause of death, whether a person died under mysterious circumstances or an unnatural death.

On the other hand, the DM has started his probe into the suicide. He has also issued a public notice over the incident and sought video footage of it from TV channels.

The notice mentions that farmer Gajender had committed suicide in front of a large gathering and heavy police deployment and that the DM will be conducting an inquiry under sub-section 176 (1) of the CrPc.