Ramlila crackdown: Court summons 6 cops, probe still on

A Delhi court has summoned six policemen, chargesheeted for the June 4-5 midnight swoop by the police at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Baba Ramdev's supporters protesting against corruption with the police saying that probe is still on to identify others involved in lathi charge.

Metropolitan Magistrate Anil Kumar summoned sub-inspector Sushil Kumar, Head Constable Vijender and constables Ravi, Dinesh, Tejinder and Krishan. The six have been indicted for endangering life and personal safety of others.

The court took cognisance of the charge sheet on June 4, exactly an year after the incident. "The chargesheet has been filed by the IO after the probe conducted in compliance of the directions given by the Supreme Court of India in Writ petition (filed in the incident).

"I have perused the chargesheet and documents filed by the IO. I hereby take cognisance of offence under section 336 IPC (act endangering life or personal safety of others)," the court said.

"Let accused persons named in the charge sheet be summoned through IO for July 7," it directed. The accused policemen named in the chargesheet have been identified with the help of video footage procured from various news channels.

The footage has also been annexed with the charge sheet. The investigating officer in the case also told the court that further probe into the incident is going on in order to identify other accused persons.

"IO has further stated that further investigation in this matter is still going on for identification of other persons involved in the commission of offence and supplementary chargesheet may be filed if other persons are identified," the court said.

The police has said in the charge sheet that the six policemen used excessive force on their own without any order from their superiors.

The chargesheet said they overstepped their brief and cane-charged the protesters, with police sources saying that the presence of senior police officers on the spot does not mean they ordered lathicharge.

Sources said further investigation is aimed at identifying others, including police officials, involved in the incident. They added the angle of killing of Rajbala, a protester at the Ramlila Maidan, too is open to probe and can be the part of the supplementary charge sheet, which, however, is not expected anytime soon.

On the intervening night of June 4-5, 2011, the police had used force on Ramdev's sleeping followers, including women and children at Ramlila Maidan during his anti-corruption stir.

Rajbala, one of the injured in the incident, had later succumbed to her injuries.

After taking suo motu cognisance of the media reports showing brutality of police action, the apex court had on February 23 ordered prosecution of police personnel involved in the mid-night crackdown.