May have identified cop who shot video of assault during riots: Police to Delhi HC

The police said that in one of the videos, a person in uniform is seen holding a tear gas gun and recording a video of five men being beaten by policemen and forced to sing the national anthem

The Delhi Police on Monday told the Delhi high court that they may have identified the police officer who shot a viral video in which police officers are seen assaulting a few men and forcing them to sing the national anthem during the northeast Delhi riots in the national capital in February last year.

Representational image. (REUTERS)

The police, in response to a plea by the man’s mother seeking an SIT investigation into the death of her son Faizan due to the alleged assault, have said that they have not been able to identify the police officers in the various videos and CCTV camera footage because they were wearing helmets and did not have nameplates.

The police said that in one of the videos, a person in uniform is seen holding a tear gas gun and recording a video of the five men being beaten by policemen on his mobile phone.

However, they contended that while the person who was recording the incident was not wearing a helmet, his face was not clear as the footage was distantly shot.

In an affidavit filed through the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Mahajan, the Delhi Police informed the court that they have examined 170 police officers and their mobile phones.

“Their mobile phone numbers have also been taken on record for technical analysis,” the police said.

The police also said that efforts were made to obtain CCTV camera footage from the Public Works Department (PWD) but no CCTV camera was found installed near the scene of crime.

“Furthermore, the CCTV cameras installed by individuals in the area of Kardampuri were either found broken much prior to the incident or their directions were changed. However, CCTV camera footage/video clips available on different social media and other sources as collected by the Cyber Cell of Crime Branch have been taken on record,” the probe agency said.

Justice Anu Malhotra asked the police to file an affidavit with information about the lack of CCTV camera functioning along with documents.

The matter wll be now heard on March 15.

In her plea, filed through advocates Vrinda Grover and Soutik Banerjee, Faizan’s mother, Kismatun, told the court that he died on February 26 after he was allegedly brutally assaulted by police officers and detained from February 24 to February 25.

The petition sought the constitution of a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the alleged custodial death of Faizan.