New Delhi: Among the reasons Delhi Police urged the Supreme Court Monday to permit a fresh First Information Report (FIR) on the presence of more than 2,800 people with criminal antecedents at or near the site of the Jantar Mantar protest in July is a preliminary assessment that found 162 of them to be officially lodged in prison at the time.
Sources in the Delhi Police said that, prima facie, 162 out of these 2,873 individuals were convicted in cases of murder and rape, and prison records suggest that they were lodged in prison during the period of protest. A dozen of them, sources said, were implicated as accused in 10 or more cases, while 42 of them were charged in two or more cases.
“Some of them might genuinely be on parole, furloughs or receiving treatment for medical issues, but all these aspects require deeper investigation,” a Delhi Police officer privy to the preliminary findings told ThePrint.
The Delhi Police Monday urged the top court to allow it to close all 13 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered to probe the violence on 20 July when thousands of protestors marched onto the streets as part of the ‘Sansad Chalo’ rally, called by the CJP. There were 13 cases across five police stations in connection with the protest—five at Parliament Street police station, five at Connaught Place, and one each at Kartavya Path, Barakhamba Road, and Mandir Marg.
It also urged the top court to allow it to register a fresh FIR to probe the presence of these 2,873 history-sheeters. In an application before the apex court, the police force submitted that a probe was necessary to establish if they had any role in bodily harming protestors or destruction of property during the protest.
“It is submitted that 2,873 individuals with serious criminal antecedents, according to the National Crime Records Bureau database, were prima facie reported to be present at the protest site. The investigation is required to ascertain their role, if any, in the commission of offences relating to bodily harm or destruction of property at the said protests,” the Delhi Police said in its application to the top court.
“The Delhi Police seeks leave to file a fresh FIR only for these 2,873 individuals,” it further said.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)