Delhi: ‘Investigation as per convenience’, court pulls up cops in Lakha Sidhana hearing

A Delhi Court on Monday pulled up the Delhi Police for its investigation into the farmers’ protest and observed that it was carried out as per the authority’s convenience rather than following the mandate of law. Additional Sessions Judge Gagandeep Singh was hearing the anticipatory bail plea filed by gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana, who is an accused in the Republic Day violence at the Red Fort following the farmers’ rally. The matter has been adjourned to August 26.

The court noted that the reply filed by the investigating officer concerning the 35 farm leaders named in the FIR was an attempt to sidetrack the issue and that none of the said farm leaders was asked to join the investigation by the police in eight months.

“The reply filed today qua the leaders named in the FIR is an attempt to sidetrack the issue. It appears that the investigation is going as per the convenience of the investigating authority rather as per the mandate of law.”

“The common farmers who were just following the calls of the farm leaders are being picked up and it appears that till date none of the leaders has been even asked to join the investigation,” it added.