Dons, lawyers doubt cops claim

A group of lawyers, human rights activists and academicians said the Delhi Police version of Batla House encounter was “concocted” and demanded a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge.

A group of lawyers, human rights activists and academicians on Friday said the Delhi Police version of Batla House encounter was “concocted” and demanded a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge.

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A fact finding team, sent by People’s Union for Democratic Rights and Janhastakshep to the spot of the September 19 encounter –– in which two alleged terrorists and a Delhi Police officer were killed –– concluded the police version was “false.”

“The police version that these boys were behind the Delhi blasts and they went to arrest them is clearly false. If they knew before they entered the building, then why was the exit route not sealed and why were the alleged terrorists not asked to surrender?” asked senior Supreme Court lawyer and team member Prashant Bhushan.

Professor Shahana Bhattacharya from the Delhi University questioned the police claim that both Mohammad Atif Amin and Mohammad Sajid, killed in the encounter, were allegedly behind the Delhi blasts.

The group has demanded a probe by a Supreme Court judge, saying police claims need to be verified and questions need to be answered.

They also said “continuing random arrests and harassment of Jamia Nagar residents and students of Jamia University since the Delhi blasts and particularly after the alleged encounter must stop.”