SC raps police for absence of professionalism

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 26

As violence over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) continued in northeast Delhi, the Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Delhi Police for lack of professionalism and failing to take timely action to control it.

“The real problem is lack of professionalisation of the police and lack of independence. If the police act completely in accordance with the law, many of these problems will not arise,” a Bench of Justice SK Kaul and Justice KM Joseph said even as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta tried to defend the handling of the communal violence by the Delhi Police.

The violence in northeast Delhi killed 27 people, including a cop and an Intelligence Bureau man, and left around 200 people injured till Wednesday evening.

The top court rebuked the Delhi Police for allowing the “instigators of violence” to get away, saying they should act “independently” as per the law without waiting for somebody’s permission.

However, it refused to entertain a plea filed by Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, former CIC Wajahat Habibullah and one Bahadur Abbas Naqvi seeking a court-monitored SIT probe into the violence, saying the Delhi HC was already looking into it.

Justice Joseph cited the example of police in the UK for their swift handling of such situations, saying, no permission was required to act upon.

Meanwhile, Mehta said the Bench should not make comments. “Let’s not demoralise the police,” he said. Justice Joseph replied, “ Don’t misunderstand me, my remarks are being made keeping in mind larger perspective.”

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