Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: After being pulled up by the Supreme Court on Thursday for the midnight crackdown on Baba Ramdev’s followers at Ramlila maidan, the Delhi Police said that they will follow any order passed by the court.
Addressing the media in the national capital, Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta said that the SC had not blamed the police as a whole but only some police officers against whom ‘thorough probe will be initiated’ and ‘action will be taken’. He stressed that the SC verdict had also stated that ‘Ramdev’s followers had violated the law’.
He clarified that the directive regarding compensation will be followed. “Report will be filed in three months,” BK Gupta added.
Gupta also said police were directed to register cases
against policemen and Ramdev followers who damaged public
property.
He said the apex court has talked about the "contributory
negligence" of Bharat Swabhiman Trust as its leaders did
little to contain the situation. "We have to study the full
judgement," he added.
He also noted the Supreme Court has clearly said that
there was no order for a lathicharge, as alleged by Ramdev and
his supporters.
He said Delhi Police will file more cases with regard to
destruction of property, if it was required. "Already, we have
registered cases in this regard in Kamla Nagar police
station," he said.
In a significant development, the Supreme Court today held Baba Ramdev and Delhi Police guilty of negligence in connection with the midnight crackdown on yoga guru’s followers at the Ramlila Maidan on June 4-5 last year during his anti-corruption agitation.
The apex court, while stressing that the authorities could have avoided the violent incident, said that both Baba Ramdev and the police acted in an irresponsible manner.
“There was abuse of power by the Delhi Police and there was violation of fundamental rights of people,” the apex court bench of Justices BS Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar said.
“The incident shows might of the state which strikes at the foundation of democracy. It is a glaring example of trust deficit between people governing and people being governed,” the bench said.
The Supreme Court also directed the Delhi government and the Delhi Police Commissioner to register a case against officers who caused injury, and those who used lathicharge and tear gas in the crackdown.
The court further asked the authorities to give a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the family members of Rajbala, the woman who died due to the injury suffered in the police crackdown.
Besides, the court also ordered a compensation of Rs 50,000 for those who sustained serious injuries and Rs 35,000 for those with minor injuries during the incident.
Importantly, the apex court asked the yoga guru to share 25% of the total compensation to be given to the victims.
