New Delhi: The Delhi High Court directed Monday the Delhi Police Commissioner to look into and ‘fix responsibility’ for the ‘serious lapse’ outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal last month. Certain miscreants breached the barricades, reached the gate and destroyed public property. The high court called the incident a ‘very disturbing state of affairs’.
A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi was hearing a plea by AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj concerning the alleged attack outside the CM’s residence March 30. There were people who during a protest against Kejriwal’s remarks on The Kashmir Files movie, said that it was clear there was a ‘failure’ on the part of the police force and that the bandobast (security arrangement) was inadequate.
“The bandobast made outside the residence of the CM and the road leading to the residence, in the wake of the permission sought on behalf of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha which was declined, was not adequate,” said the bench also comprising Justice Navin Chawla.
The high court noted that as per the status report filed by the police, certain miscreants breached the barricades and reached the gate of the residence. The bench said, “In our view, the aforesaid lapse is a serious lapse and should be looked at by the Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police.
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“This kind of incident happening at the residence of any constitutional functionary – whether it is the CM, it could be a judge of the high court or Supreme Court, it could be any other Union Minister. This is a very disturbing state of affairs that this kind of a thing could in the first place occur or such miscreants should succeed in their endeavour. What kind of a bandobast did you have in place that people could breach three barricades. Then you seriously need to look into your efficiency and functioning.”
The high court bench added: “It is very clear that there has been a failure on part of the force to prevent the incident. We want the Commissioner of Police to look into the lapse on part of the police.”
The court questioned if additional force was called when the first barricade was broken or the mob reached the CM’s residence. The bench said said that the issue concerning the security arrangement ‘needs investigation at the highest level’.
“He (CP) should inquire into firstly whether bandobast was adequate, secondly the reasons for the failure of the arrangements made and thirdly fix the responsibility for the lapse which admittedly has occurred,” the court stated.