We handle cases with honesty: Bassi denies AAP charge that police took teen girl's murder 'lightly'

Speaking to the media after his meeting with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over the murder of a 19-year-old girl in the Anand Parbat area of New Delhi, Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said that the talk was held in a cordial way and there was no question of insensitivity in the Anand Parbat murder case. [caption id=“attachment_2352924” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said he had a very positive talk with Arvind Kejriwal. PTI[/caption] “The talk with CM Kejriwal was done in a professional way, keeping in view the law of the land,” Bassi told reporters. At a press conference, Bassi again stressed that his meeting with Kejriwal had been very positive. “In a one-to-one meeting, a lot of things are talked about in an atmosphere of confidence between people where views can be exchanged freely,” he said. “I had an hour-long meeting with CM Kejriwal. I briefed CM on the nature of investigation. The talk was conducted in a very cordial way…We got to know about each other’s point of view,” he added. “I told the CM about the honesty with which the Delhi Police tackles cases. I discussed with the CM the way in which Delhi police can get his help,” Bassi said. Asked whether Kejriwal’s remarks calling the Delhi Police personnel ‘thulla’ figured, he suggested in affirmative and said, “I would like to suggest to my colleagues that they should not take such things or criticism by heart.” He denied that Kejriwal was putting pressure on Delhi Police adding that “he has his own ideas and he is concerned with issues of Delhi. Anyone who is concerned with such issues will have his judgement impacted by local issues. It’s natural.” Bassi said that it came during discussions that Delhi Police was not working independently and it was suggested that if it worked with Delhi government, better results would have come. “I had worked with the previous government and now I am working with the present government. I was never under pressure before or now. We do what we think is right,” Bassi said. On the question of Delhi Police reporting to Union government, Bassi said that “what is needed to be reported to Union government is reported to them and what is needed to be reported to be Delhi government is reported to them.” He said that he suggested to the Chief Minister to forward the complaints against Delhi Police personnel at 1031 helpline and “we will act doubly against guilty than you expected”, but added that there was “lack of confidence (over Delhi Police). Bassi then responded to questions related to Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain’s comments in which he had alleged that the Delhi police was taking the Anand Parbat case “lightly”. “The Delhi Police Commissioner informed us that the girl had spat on the accused and was then murdered by the accused in a fit of rage. He (Bassi) also told us not to make this incident a big issue because murders keep happening in Delhi…It’s not right that the Delhi police takes such matters lightly,” Jain had said after Bassi’s meeting with Kejriwal. Jain, who was present in the meeting, said Bassi gave a list of 500 similar cases urging the government to offer Rs 5 lakh each as compensation to families of the victims like it did in the case of the teenaged girl which was rejected by Kejriwal. “Kejriwal asked Bassi to take the list to his boss Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Bassi replied saying the PM is too pre-occupied with other works and has no time for Delhi Police,” Jain told reporters. Responding to these allegations by the AAP leader, Bassi said, “Any incident of crime is seen as a challenge by the Delhi Police. We take it as a responsibility to give justice to the victim…The question of our not being sensitive to this case does not arise. Strenuous efforts were made and the culprits were arrested. Out investigation is continuing. And I cannot reach any conclusions so fast.” “In this case there was no need for remand of accused. That would have been improper. I tried to explain in what circumstances remand is sought,” the Police Commissioner said on Jain questioning police on its decision not seek remand of the accused. “Delhi Chief Minister, ministers and MLAs have local expectations. For that reason, there is a possibility of their judgement getting coloured whereas Union ministers have no local vested interests, letting us work independently,” he said. Bassi then said that it was his duty to investigate each case according to the rule of law and not on the basis of what anyone said. “I have to ensure that injustice is not done to anyone, whether it is the victim or the accused in a case,” he said. “My duty is to carry on investigation according to the rule of law, not on the basis of whether I will get praise from people,” he added. “The people of Delhi are very lucky to have an independent police machinery working in the city. The day Delhi Police starts succumbing to pressure, it will be a very unfortunate day,” said the Delhi Police Commissioner. Finally, Bassi ended his press conference by saying, “I believe that after this meeting, the connection between us (him and Kejriwal) will grow even stronger.” Earlier on Monday, Bassi had met Kejriwal and had explained to him steps being taken to improve security for women, amid AAP government’s persistent demand to hand over control of the force to it, reported PTI. Kejriwal had summoned Bassi after the gruesome murder of a 19-year old girl in Anand Parbat area, holding that the law and order situation in the city has deteriorated significantly. Sources had told PTI that the Chief Minister’s Office had asked Bassi to bring a list of pending cases of crime against woman, status of the cases filed as well as details of the SHOs who have not been transferred despite completing their terms. Bassi was also asked to bring a list of beat constables and list of inspectors who were never made SHOs. (With inputs from PTI)