Delhi CM residence vandalization case: Security stepped up, Police tells HC

New Delhi [India], May 17 : The Delhi Police on Tuesday informed the Delhi High Court that security of the Delhi Chief Minister's residence has been beefed up and no protest will now be allowed at Civil Lines Metro station.
Advocate Sanjay Lao appeared for the Delhi Police and sought adjournment in the matter stating the affidavit is yet to be verified by the Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain (who was not there due to some personal difficulty) and added that more security personnel have been deployed at the Delhi Chief Minister residence.
"Proposal to curtail entry on the road nearby to Delhi CM residence is also under consideration", he added.
The bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla allowed the request for adjournment and fixed the matter for May 30 and said to let the status report be filed by the next date in a sealed cover.
The Senior Advocate appearing for the petitioner submitted that imposing Section 144 around the house like Rashtrapati Bhawan and other places should also be considered.
Earlier, The Delhi High Court had shown displeasure with the Delhi Police status report over the incident of violent protest and vandalism outside the Delhi Chief Minister and said what happened at the residence of a constitutional functionary is a very disturbing state of affairs.
The bench had said, we are not satisfied with the status report in regards to 'Bandobast' made at the CM residence. The Bench while seeking a further status report from the Police, directed it to disclose reasons for the failure of the arrangement made and fixed the responsibility of the lapses in the next status report.
The court during the hearing on the last date of the hearing further said that three barricades were breached by the protestors. You (Police) need to look into the functioning and bandobast. It could have been anybody, Union Minister, etc. There has been a lapse on part of the force and we want the Commissioner of Police to look into this.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain appearing for Delhi Police had submitted before the court that, this incident should not have happened. A review of security has also been done. CCTVs have been preserved and are part of the investigation. People have been identified, and 41A notices have been issued.
ASG Jain for Delhi Police further submitted that in the present matter investigation is in progress. Different angles of CCTV cameras will be forensically examined and then a proper picture will emerge. An inquiry will be conducted at the highest level.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for the Government of NCT Delhi said, "We are not served with the status report submitted by the Delhi Police. Those seen in the video were felicitated by political powers. Apex court recently passed directions for the lapse in Prime Minister's security. But here people broke three-level barricades of CM's residence."
The court was hearing the Public Interest Litigation filed by the AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj against the alleged attack and vandalization at the official residence of the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 30.
The plea sought direction for the constitution of a Special Investigation Team to undertake an independent, fair and time-bound criminal investigation with respect to the attack and its perpetrators.
Saurabh Bhardwaj, sitting MLA from AAP stated that the party strongly supports the right to protest peacefully, even if such protest is against the Delhi Government, it is submitted that in the name of protest, violence cannot and ought not to be permitted and condoned, plea stated.
It further stated that, In this case, the violence was especially egregious as it was directed toward the Delhi CM and his family. It was meant to subdue, by the use of force, the highest elected official in NCT of Delhi and therefore the elected Government of Delhi. This was a direct attack on democracy.
The plea further submitted that those who were charged with the protection of the Delhi CM, that is, Delhi Police, completely abdicated their duty, without any regard for the fact that they were protecting an elected constitutional functionary and the fact that he was given Z plus security by Delhi Police itself.