NEW DELHI, 19 July 2007 — The Delhi High Court yesterday strongly criticized the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Delhi police for lapses in probing the Jessica Lal murder case.
Taking exception to the filing of a second FIR (First Information Report) in the case, the division bench comprising Justice R.S. Sodhi and Justice H.R. Malhotra said: “This is the first case in the criminal justice system where a separate FIR has been filed in a case while an FIR already existed. Does it not lead to safe inference that you (Delhi police) were trying to assist the accused?”
Questioning the relevance of the SIT report concerning the murder case, the bench said: “We haven’t judged your investigation report. The report is nothing but a rotten piece of paper. It is absolutely nothing. We do not know the purpose behind it.”
Referring to the FIR filed by the Delhi police against its officials for not properly investigating the case, the bench strongly criticized the SIT saying: “We are very much aware of what is happening.”
Describing the fresh investigation by the SIT as a complete waste of time and money, the court said it seemed there was a conspiracy within the police force to save the accused officials. The court’s comments followed the clean chit given by Delhi police to officials who had been accused of botching up initial investigations which led to acquittal of all accused in February last year. Delhi police told the court that they could not find evidence of the accused officials’ involvement in any conspiracy.
With the SIT probe being against the law and having no bearing on the case, it has lost its relevance, Sodhi said.
Delhi model Jessica Lal was allegedly shot dead by Manu Sharma on April 29, 1999. During the trial, inadequacies in investigation, shoddy prosecution and possible judicial lapses led to Manu and a number of other accused persons’ acquittal on Feb. 21, 2006. Media pressure, however, reopened the case for fast track proceedings with Manu being sentenced to life on Dec. 20, 2006.
