Court pulls up Delhi Police IO for not filing replies to bail pleas in constable Ratan Lal murder case

New Delhi: A court in Delhi on Saturday pulled up an investigating officer of Delhi Police for failing to file replies to bail applications in a case related to the alleged murder of a head constable during the February riots, saying he was dealing with an important matter in a “very callous” way. Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on 24 February after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured. The court was hearing separate bail applications of Sahil, Adil, Mohd Furqan and Imran Ansari, who are accused in the case related to the alleged murder of Head Constable Ratan Lal during the violence in Dayalpur area in the city’s northeast part in February. Adil had filed his bail application on 3 July, Sahil and Furqan on 23 July and Ansari on 27 August. Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav said the replies to the bail pleas have not been filed by the investigating officer (IO), despite an undertaking from him on the last date of hearing. The judge said it was “gross negligence” on the part of the IO in the case and he should have been “watchful” since enough time had elapsed in the matter. Earlier, the IO had taken an undertaking to file the reply in the matter with an advance copy to the counsel for the accused. “The reply in the matter has not been filed by the IO despite the undertaking on the last date of hearing. This is a gross negligence on part of the IO. This is such an important matter for the Crime Branch and the same is being dealt with by the IO in a very callous and indolent manner. Today, seven matters were kept for two entire sessions, the court said in its order. “The IO should have been watchful that already enough time has elapsed in the matter. The bail application has been pending for a fairly long time,” it said. The court has put up the matter for further hearing on 14 September.