HC won't interfere in Azad Maidan probe

Refusing to interfere in the investigation being conducted by the Mumbai police crime branch into the protest at Azad Maidan on Saturday, the Bombay high court on Thursday rapped the petitioners for rushing to court.

Refusing to interfere in the investigation being conducted by the Mumbai police crime branch into the protest at Azad Maidan on Saturday, the Bombay high court on Thursday rapped the petitioners for rushing to court.

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Two people were killed and 63, mostly policemen, injured last Saturday after a rally called to protest against the alleged atrocities on Muslims in Assam and Myanmar turned violent.

A division bench of justice AM Khanwilkar and justice AR Joshi criticised the three purported victims of the violence, who have sought judicial inquiry into the incident, for "unnecessarily rushing to court" at the initial stage of investigations.

The judges declined to interfere with the ongoing case at this stage saying the crime branch was specialised in investigating such crimes.

Powai resident Nazar Siddique, Kurla resident Junaid Shaikh, and Malad resident Akbar Ali Khan have sought compensation of Rs. 10 lakh each. In their petition filed through advocate Ejaj Naqvi, they alleged that the police shot them without any warning.

Apart from seeking transfer of the investigation to a special task force to be constituted by the high court, they have sought regular supervision of the investigation, ensuring that the offending police personnel are booked, and initiating criminal proceedings against them.

Blaming the "irresponsible behaviour of the police personnel" for the mayhem, the petitioners claimed that since the matter was being investigated by the police themselves, there was likelihood of "miscarriage of justice".

All three contended that they had nothing to do with the protest and they had gone to shop for Eid.

The court has posted their petition for further hearing on August 27.