New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the five-member High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC), constituted to investigate allegations of police excesses during the July student protests, to submit its fact-finding report within one month.
A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made the observation after the Committee, chaired by former apex court judge Justice R. Subhash Reddy, submitted its status report in a sealed cover.
The top court clarified that the status report submitted by the HPEC on October 31 merely outlined the progress made so far and did not contain any findings on the allegations under investigation.
The CJI-led Bench directed the HPEC to examine all documents, video recordings and other material placed before it, including those submitted by the petitioners on behalf of the affected persons, and also seek responses from the authorities concerned.
The Supreme Court said the panel should not restrict its inquiry to complaints formally received from victims but should also consider the representations and evidence submitted through lawyers and other persons.
The CJI-led Bench was informed that despite efforts to invite complaints, only a few representations had been received through the dedicated portal, while none had been submitted through email, post, or physical delivery.
The apex court said the Committee had made efforts to publicise the complaint mechanism, including through print and electronic media, and had also issued notices to protestors who had sought to register their grievances. However, only one complainant appeared before the HPEC on October 29 and submitted an affidavit. Some police personnel had also appeared before the panel.
The Supreme Court said the Committee should proceed with its fact-finding exercise on the basis of the material already available with it rather than wait indefinitely for more complaints.
“Whatever material has come, the committee need not wait indefinitely. Based on that, we would like the committee to give a fact-finding report,” the bench said. It also asked the Centre to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.
The CJI-led Bench also recorded the resignation of retired Meghalaya Director General of Police Dr L.R. Bishnoi from the HPEC. The matter has been posted for further hearing on December 2.
The Supreme Court had constituted the five-member HPEC on August 18 to investigate allegations of excessive police force and violence during the students’ march from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament on July 20. Headed by Justice Subhash Reddy (retd), the panel also comprises former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, and former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla.
The HPEC was tasked with examining allegations relating to the use of pellet guns, electric batons, lathi charges and tear gas, alleged targeted violence and harassment of women protestors, and excessive violence and destruction of property by both sides.
The Supreme Court had also directed the police authorities, paramilitary forces and other investigating agencies to preserve and furnish CCTV footage, drone recordings, body-worn camera footage, wireless communication records and PCR call logs relating to the protests. The HPEC subsequently launched a dedicated portal to invite complaints and representations from affected persons, including police personnel, while providing safeguards for vulnerable witnesses and confidentiality of identities.
(IANS)
