Plea for court monitored SIT investigation into death of boy in viral anthem video: notice issued to Delhi police

The Delhi High Court Thursday issued notice to the Delhi police in a plea seeking a court-monitored and time-bound investigation by a court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), into the death of one Faizan who was, among others, seen in the "Jana Gana Mana" video in which five bloodied men spread out on a metalled road and being beaten up and forced to sing the national anthem by, purportedly, a group of policemen.

The High Court also asked the Delhi Police's crime branch to apprise it of the status report into the investigation of the murder of Faizan.

The order came to be passed by Justice Suresh Kait on a plea filed by Faizan's mother alleging that his son was encircled, brutally assaulted, abused, and humiliated by policemen.

The plea alleged that with the passage of nine months, it is now clear that the investigation conducted by the Crime Branch is a sham, designed at shielding the guilty men in uniform, rather than investigating the crime.

Based on a viral video, the petition stated that Faizan along with four other Muslim boys was beaten up by the police with their boots, prodded with their lathis and taunted saying, "yeh  loh azaadi", and forced them to sing the national anthem while they were lying, helpless and in a grievously wounded condition.

The video came to the light during the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots.

Faizan was later taken into police custody on February 24 till he was finally released in precarious health on February 25 from the Jyoti Nagar Police Station(PS) around 23:00 hours. The next day, the petitioner's son succumbed to his injuries at LNJP Hospital.

The plea alleged that an injured Faizan was kept in illegal detention inside the Jyoti Nagar P.S. from the evening of February 24 till almost midnight on February 25, and all the while denied access to critical medical care.

"The MLC from GJB Hospital dated February, 24  records that Faizan was in need of specialized care, but the police took Faizan to Jyoti Nagar P.S. It was only when Faizan's condition turned precarious and it appeared that he may not survive due to the injuries, that he was released from Jyoti Nagar P. S", the plea stated.

Faizan's mother contended that the mere release from the police station prior to his death would not absolve the policemen of having committed murder in custody.

She claimed that on the intervening night of February 25&26, her son Faizan managed to describe to her what had transpired on February 24&25. She said  "On 24.02.2020 Faizan went to the Kardampuri bridge looking for me. Faizan said that a few police officers grabbed him by his neck and dragged him towards the main road in the direction of the Mahalia clinic. There around 8-10 police officers mercilessly beat him up. Faizan said that the police had mercilessly hit him with canes batons, kicked him, and stomped on him with boots".

Petitioner was represented by advocate Vrinda Grover and assisted by advocate Soutik Banerjee.