Delhi High Court slams Rajasthan Police for arresting minors from capital without informing Delhi Police

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday pulled up the Rajasthan Police for arresting two minors from Delhi without informing their parents or the local police. .A Division Bench of Justices Jyoti Singh and Anish Dayal expressed concerns that the two boys arrested are stated to be related to Deva Pardhi, a tribal man who was killed in Madhya Pradesh police’s custody last year due to alleged brutality.The High Court also noted that on September 26, the Supreme Court had strongly reprimanded the Madhya Pradesh government and the CBI for failing to arrest the two police officers in connection with the death of Deva Pradhi.The minors related to Pardhi were arrested by the Rajasthan Police the very next day, i.e. September 27. “Hamare jurisdiction se aap le kaise gaye? Aapko kanoon nahi pata? Aap le gaye kaise gaye Delhi police ko inform kiye bina? Aapka maamla Supreme Court bheje (How can you [Rajasthan Police] take them away from our jurisdiction? Do you know the law? How could you take them away without informing the Delhi Police? Should we send your case to the Supreme Court?),” the Court asked. .The High Court was hearing a plea filed by Kapoori Bai, the mother of one of the minors arrested by the Rajasthan Police.Vikram Singh Rathore, Station House Officer (SHO) of Pushkar, appeared before the Court today and stated that the two people arrested were indeed in their custody but they are not minors. Delhi government’s Standing Counsel (Criminal) Sanjay Lao confirmed today the arrests of the two minors had taken place without Delhi Police’s knowledge. .On a pointed query by the Court to Inspector Rathore, he admitted that his team did not inform the Delhi Police. After considering the case and the fact that the two minors arrested are stated to be related to Pardhi, the Court ordered the standing counsel for Rajasthan and the Superintendent of Police of Ajmer to file a status report. “Looking at the backdrop of the matter as also the sensitivity involved, considering that S and the Petitioner are relatives of Deva Pardhi, it is directed that the status report will be filed under the signatures of Ms Vandita Rana, SP, Ajmer, Rajasthan. The status report will be filed during the course of the day with copy to counsel for the Petitioner. It is further directed that Mr. Rathore will keep SHO, PS: Hari Nagar updated on the status of the case during the course of the day,” the Court ordered. .The case will be heard next on September 1. .Advocates Archit Krishna, Maheshwari Mawase and Himanshu Kunjam appeared for petitioner Kapoori Bai. Standing Counsel (Criminal) Sanjay Lao and advocate Priyam Aggarwal appeared for the Delhi government..[Read Order]