SC questions UP govt about parading of Atiq Ahmad and brother before media
New Delhi, April 28: The Supreme Court on Friday questioned the Uttar Pradesh government about why gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were paraded before media while being taken to hospital for a medical checkup in police custody in Prayagraj.
A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the UP government, how the killers got the knowledge that they were being taken to hospital. Rohatgi informed the court that the state government was probing the incident and had constituted a three-member commission and a UP Police special investigation team for this.
He said, "This man and his entire family are embroiled in heinous cases for last 30 years. This incident particularly is a gruesome incident. We have apprehended the killers and they said they did this to gain importance."
Also Read: Unrest in Manipur as mob sets ablaze event venue ahead of CM's visit; Internet services suspended
The court directed the UP government to submit a status report on steps taken after the incident. It asked for a comprehensive affidavit indicating the steps taken to inquire into the deaths, steps taken with respect to the incident that occurred immediately prior to the one in question, and steps taken following Justice BS Chauhan commission report.
The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by advocate Vishal Tiwari seeking an independent probe into the killing of Ahmad and his brother Ashraf. The plea also sought an inquiry into the 183 alleged criminals killed in police encounters in UP since 2017. The plea sought the setting up of an independent expert committee to probe the killing of Ahmad and Ashraf, as well as issue guidelines/directions to safeguard the rule of law by constituting an independent expert committee under the chairmanship of a former Supreme Court justice.
Referring to Ahmad's killing, the plea said "such actions by police are a severe threat to democracy and rule of law and lead to a police state". It said extra-judicial killings or fake police encounters have no place in the law, and when the police turn "daredevils then the entire rule of law collapses and generates fear in the mind of people against the police which is very dangerous for democracy and this also results in more crimes".
The Supreme Court on Friday questioned the Uttar Pradesh government why gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were paraded before media while being taken to hospital for a medical checkup in police custody in Prayagraj. A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Dipankar Datta asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the UP government, how the killers got the knowledge that they were being taken to hospital.
Rohatgi informed the court that the state government was probing the incident and had constituted a three-member commission and a UP Police special investigation team for this. He said, "This man and his entire family are embroiled in heinous cases for last 30 years. This incident particularly is a gruesome incident. We have apprehended the killers and they said they did this to gain importance."
Also Read: Former J&K Guv Satyapal Malik under CBI scanner for alleged insurance scam
The court directed the UP government to submit a status report on steps taken after the incident. It asked for a comprehensive affidavit indicating the steps taken to inquire into the deaths, steps taken with respect to the incident that occurred immediately prior to the one in question, and steps taken following Justice BS Chauhan commission report.
The Supreme Court was hearing a plea by advocate Vishal Tiwari seeking an independent probe into the killing of Ahmad and his brother Ashraf. The plea also sought an inquiry into the 183 alleged criminals killed in police encounters in UP since 2017.
The plea sought the setting up of an independent expert committee to probe the killing of Ahmad and Ashraf, as well as issue guidelines/directions to safeguard the rule of law by constituting an independent expert committee under the chairmanship of a former Supreme Court justice.
The petition highlighted the dangerous implications of such actions by the police and how they are a severe threat to democracy and the rule of law, leading to a police state. It stressed the importance of not allowing police to become a mode of delivering final justice or a punishing authority, as the power of punishment is only vested in the judiciary.
The petition also noted the dangers of extra-judicial killings or fake police encounters, which have no place in the law, and how when police turn "daredevils then the entire rule of law collapses and generates fear in the mind of people against the police which is very dangerous for democracy and this also results in more crimes".
Also Read: Annamalai criticises CM Stalin over BJP leader's death
- With inputs from agencies
