2020 riots: Delhi High Court orders CBI probe into death of man assaulted by cops

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New Delhi, July 23

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered the CBI to investigate the death of 23-year-old Faizan, who was beaten up by the Delhi Police during the 2020 Delhi riots. A viral video showed policemen assaulting Faizan with sticks and forcing him to sing the national anthem.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani transferred the probe from the Delhi Police to the CBI, criticising the police investigation as “tardy and sketchy” and for sparing the officers suspected of the assault. The court categorised the incident as a hate crime, noting that the police officers, who should act as custodians of the law, appeared to be driven by bigotry.

The Delhi Police investigation was deemed inadequate and lacking in credibility by the court, prompting the transfer to the CBI to ensure fairness and instil confidence in the victims.

Faizan’s mother, Kismatun, filed the plea leading to the court order. She alleged that Faizan was brutally assaulted by policemen at Kardampuri, then illegally detained at Jyoti Nagar Police Station without medical attention, resulting in his death.

Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing Kismatun, argued that the Delhi Police investigation had ignored the role of the Station House Officer (SHO) at Jyoti Nagar, where Faizan was assaulted, and accused the police of tampering with the records.

The Delhi Police argued that their investigation was ongoing but hampered by the need for forensic examination of evidence and difficulty in identifying all policemen in the video. Some hearings were held in chambers at the request of the Delhi Police.