15 hours, abduction charges, stolen DVR: a 16-hour standoff over Youth Congress workers between police from Delhi and Himachal

Abductions, trespassing, stolen DVR

However, the Delhi Police team was intercepted twice again, first at Kanlog under Ward Number 1 in Shimla, and then at the Shoghi barrier around 4 am, before finally being allowed to leave for the national capital.

“The team led by ACP Rahul Vikram was intercepted to make them join the police investigation pertaining to an FIR registered against them for allegedly abducting three persons, trespassing into a resort, and stealing a DVR from a resort in Rohru,” a Shimla police officer told The Indian Express.

However, the Shimla police officer said the Delhi team, which was accompanied by at least five Haryana Police personnel from Karnal district, locked themselves inside their vehicles.

“Unpleasant scenes erupted again when the Delhi Police personnel locked themselves inside their vehicles after being intercepted at the barrier, apparently to avoid joining our investigation. After much persuasion, they did not join the investigation but only agreed to provide their names, ranks, and places of posting.”

The officer said they also urged them to hand over the “stolen DVR”, which he said they had taken from a resort near Rohru where the alleged suspects were staying.

“The Delhi Police declined to hand over the DVR but provided us with a document outlining the procedure under which it was seized. We have decided to make them join the investigation through warrants issued by a competent court. The Delhi Police were finally allowed to leave around 5.55 am.”

The officer claimed that the way the Delhi Police, accompanied by the Haryana Police, entered Himachal Pradesh, detained three men, and tried to take them to another state, clearly violated several guidelines and Supreme Court rulings.

“Not a single member of the Delhi Police team was in uniform. We made them follow the procedure and then allowed them to leave for Delhi.”

Here’s how the drama unfolded:

February 25

5.30 am: A 15-member Delhi Police team, travelling in two vehicles, reaches Chanshal Resort near Rohru in Shimla, where the accused are staying. The police arrest all three accused, seize their Thar, and collect the DVR footage related to their movements from the resort

10.30 am: They leave the resort with the accused in three cars, including the seized Thar, but are stopped by the Shimla police at Dharampur near Solan. They are asked whether they followed legal procedure during raids in another state.

12.30 pm: Another team of Delhi Police is intercepted at the Shoghi barrier in Shimla

1 pm: The third Delhi Police team is intercepted at Dharampur in Solan district

1.30 pm: The Delhi Police, along with the Shimla police, reach a local court to obtain the transit remand. The arguments continue in the court for several hours.

3.45 pm: All Delhi Police personnel, comprising 15-20 officers, including those from Haryana, are brought to the District Courts at Chakkar in Shimla. Delhi Police show documents, including a copy of the FIR against the three IYC workers

4 pm: Shimla police move a complaint mentioning the sequence of events, including three IYC workers who were taken in custody without their medical examination, in the court of ACJM-2 Ekansh Kapil

4.30 pm: ACJM-2 Ekansh Kapil lists the complaint for hearing for the next day

7 pm: Shimla police inform Delhi Police ACP Rahul Vikram that his team was detained as a complaint of abduction had been filed against his team

7.30 pm: Delhi Police team leaves the District Courts complex despite Shimla cops insisting that they not leave the court complex

8 pm: Delhi Police team again stopped at Shoghi Police Post on the Chandigarh–Shimla highway. A heated argument breaks out between Delhi and Himachal police officers. The dispute again arises between the two state forces over the procedure for conducting raids in another state. The Delhi Police are also informed that an abduction FIR has been registered against them

11 pm: Consensus is finally reached with the intervention of DG-level officers from both states, and the Himachal Pradesh Police allow the Delhi Police to take the accused to the Shimla court for transit remand

11.30 pm: Delhi Police agree to obtain the transit remand. They first take three IYC workers to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Zonal Hospital (DDU ZH)  to get their medical examination done

February 26

12.15 am: Delhi Police team reaches the house of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) at US Club, Shimla. Moves a transit remand application. However, CJM tells Delhi Police to move the application before ACJM-2

1 am: Delhi Police go to the house of ACJM-2 Ekansh Kapil, who allows an 18-hour-long transit remand for the suspects

2 am: Delhi Police team is intercepted at Kanlog Ward Number-1, Shimla on NH-5. The Himachal Police request cooperation in the investigation and express their intention to inspect the vehicles. They ask the Delhi Police to handover the stolen DVR. The Delhi Police hand over a seizure memo for the DVR but decline to hand over the device. After one and a half hours, the Delhi Police are allowed to move

4 am: Delhi Police team is again intercepted at the Shoghi barrier in Shimla. Himachal Police asks them to join the investigation into the FIR registered against them. Delhi Police decline to join the probe, but agree to give the names of team members

5 am: Following arguments, the Delhi Police are asked to submit the transit papers and the seizure memo to the Himachal Police

5.55 am: The Delhi Police, along with all three accused, are allowed to leave for Delhi.