The Allahabad High Court has expressed hope that investigation in hapur lathicharge shall be conducted in fair, transparent, and impartial manner.
In compliance of previous direction issued in this petition the preliminary fact finding report has was produced before the court in a sealed envelope through the Registrar General of Court.
The sealed envelope has been opened on our direction and the report has been perused by us. On our permission the report has also been perused by learned counsels representing different Associations of Bar.
The court noted:
On behalf of respective Bar Associations/Bar Council, it is urged that the preliminary report of SIT is not satisfactory, inasmuch as, the incident relating to Hapur has not been examined in correct perspective. It is also urged that various aspects relating to grievance raised by the advocates have been overlooked.
Sri Manish Goyal, Additional Advocate General appearing for the State submits that in the matter initially 22 complaints were received and the FIR is already lodged on 6.9.2023 at the instance of aggrieved Advocates. The investigating officers are making all endeavours to hold fair and impartial enquiry. So far as various complaints received in the matter, it is not possible that all such complaints be adverted in such a short time. He assures the Court that the matter would be investigated fairly and promptly and the outcome in respect thereof would be placed before the Court on the next date fixed. We are also informed that the State in order to ensure fairness in the investigation has transferred the investigation of the criminal cases relating to Hapur incident to Meerut.
The Court noted:
At this stage of the proceedings, we do not intend to make any observations/comments in respect of the ongoing investigation as the investigating authorities are already ceased of the matter. We only observed and hope that the investigating authorities shall conduct the investigation in a fair, transparent and impartial manner and all aspects relating to the incident would be thoroughly probed.
It goes without saying that the FIR lodged at the instance of aggrieved advocates will be duly examined and investigated in a fair and impartial manner. The progress of investigation shall be placed on record by filing the affidavit of the concerned Zonal Additional Director General of Police on the next date fixed.
Now, Allahabad High Court has fixed October 12 for hearing the case.
