The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the Uttar Pradesh Police for “wilful disobedience” in complying with its order to investigate all cases registered during the Muzaffarnagar riots two years ago.
A bench presided over by Justice V Gopala Gowda asked the state government to spell out within two weeks the steps taken to cancel the bail granted to the accused in some cases.
“Prima facie, it seems there is wilful disobedience. It is such a serious matter but you have not acted promptly,” the bench observed while hearing a contempt petition seeking action against police officers for filing a closure report in a gang-rape case.
The apex court had on March 26, 2014, disposed of a bunch of PILs and passed a slew of directions for proper investigation in the cases and directed the UP government to proceed against all the accused irrespective of their caste, religion and political affiliation.
It had also directed to provide security cover to rape victims till they desire or completion of the trial.
UP government counsel Gaurav Bhatia said over 25 people have been arrested in the cases lodged after the riots of 2013. Some 5,000 cases were to be investigated by police and they raided 180 places to nab the accused in the gang-rape case, he said.
The riots had claimed 65 lives and left hundreds homeless in Muzaffarnagar and surrounding districts in western UP in September 2013.
Advocate Kamini Jaiswal, appearing for the victims, said the state government started acting only after filing the contempt case before the apex court. The counsel of a police inspector said the officer was made a scapegoat in the matter.
He submitted that the closure report was filed in the gang-rape case due to repeated change of stand by the victim.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels | Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks