IIT Delhi students' death case: Delhi HC issues notice on plea seeking CBI investigation

Oct 09, 2023

New Delhi [India], October 9 : The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notice to Delhi police on a plea seeking an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the death of two students of IIT Delhi.
Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar issued notice on the petition and directed Delhi police to file the status report.
These incidents are from July and September 2023.
The matter is listed on October 19 for the hearing.
This petition has been moved by the family members of the deceased students.
The petitioner's counsel Mehmood Pracha argued that the deceased students belong to the SC community. No FIR is registered. There are allegations of caste discrimination by other students and teachers.
ASG appeared on behalf of the Central Government and submitted that there was no complaint received all these years.
A total of 18 students of SC/ST were examined who said that they never faced any discrimination, ASG argued.
How these students were performing, Justice Bhatnagar asked.
The counsel for the petitioner submitted that they were doing well. On the other, ASG rebutted that these students were not good at studies.
This present petition has been moved by Amit Kumar, Vidya Devi and Sushma through advocate Mehmood Pracha and Jatin Bhatt.
It is stated that the sons of Petitioners Vidya Devi and Sushma have died on the premises of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
The son of Vidya Devi died on the night of September 1, while the son of Sushma died on the night of July 8 this year. Both the students belonged to the Scheduled Caste communities and suffered atrocities and discrimination on this account, the plea alleged.
The petitioners have made a Central Government, Delhi Police, DCP, SHO, IIT Delhi, CBI and Delhi government respondents in the petition.
It is alleged that the facts surrounding the deaths of students Anil Kumar and Ayush Ashna suggest that the deceased persons were murdered. However, despite repeated complaints by the Petitioners, no action has been taken by the authorities.
The petitioners have sought direction from police authorities or CBI to register appropriate FIRs in the cases involving the deaths of the students.
The petitioner has also prayed to direct an independent inquiry into case-based atrocities being committed on the premises of the IIT Delhi. It has also sought strict compliance and implementation of provisions of the SC/ST(POA)Act,1989 and rules and regulations under the SC/ST(POA) Rules 1995.