New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday alleged that the police is trying to brush the matter related to the "custodial death" of 35-year-old Shahnawaz Chaudhary in northeast Delhi's Nand Nagri area in a bid to "shield" the policemen involved in the incident.
AAP leader Ashutosh also said that the party will approach the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to seek justice if the police does not register an FIR in this connection.
On Monday, Chaudhary died under mysterious circumstances after trying to intervene in a road-side scuffle between a couple and the police in the Nand Nagri area.
"The AAP is shocked at the manner in which the Delhi Police are trying to brush the matter related to custodial death of Shahnawaz Chaudhary in Nand Nagri area under the carpet and shielding the culrpits," Ashutosh said.
AAP's Seemapuri MLA Rajendar Gautam, who met the deceased family, said Chaudhary's wife Mamta had later alleged that her husband was killed by the policemen.
A video clip has surfaced purportedly showing a policeman beating the man with his club, raising questions over the police's claims that they did not enter into any scuffle with him.
During investigation, it emerged that Chaudhary was out on parole. He was sent to jail around four months ago in connection with a criminal case.
"It's baffling that despite the video footage available in public domain clearly showing policemen mercilessly beating Chaudhary and bundling him into a police vehicle, the police top brass is yet to initiate action against policemen who beat Shahnawaz to death," Ashutosh said.
The Delhi Police too has ordered a judicial inquiry into the case, while the AAP government has asked Shahdara District Magistrate Abhishek Singh to probe the matter.
The AAP, which is at the loggerheads with the Delhi Police and the Centre, again demanded that the law enforcing agency should be under the state government for "better accountability."
"There have been several instances where police officials have been found to be involved in crimes like rape, but Delhi Police have failed to take due notice of the dangerous trend," AAP's Delhi unit convener Dilip Pandey said.
