During the 2020 northeast Delhi riots case hearing, the court received a letter with “highly disturbing” information from the DLSA Secretary. It urgently forwarded it to the DCP for action.
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NEW DELHI: Recently, During the hearing concerning the victim impact report (VIR) of a case connected with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, the Secretary of the Delhi Legal Services Authority (DLSA) presented a letter to the court containing “highly troubling” information. Upon receiving the letter, the court promptly took action by sending a copy to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), emphasizing the “immediate necessary action.”
This incident follows a previous hearing in which the court expressed its disappointment over the delay in preparing the victim impact report. On Saturday, during the scheduled hearing at around 10.30 am, the court noted the absence of any response from both the DCP and the DLSA.
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To ensure the timely submission of the VIR in the case, the court issued a reminder letter to both the DCP and the DLSA.
The matter has been scheduled for further proceedings on April 20.
At 11 am, the court received a sealed envelope containing a letter from the DLSA secretary. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala, after reviewing the letter, acknowledged the disturbing facts presented and proceeded to forward a copy of the letter to the DCP, urging immediate necessary action. The court was kept informed of the actions taken by the DCP based on the mentioned facts.
In cases involving the conviction of the accused, the Delhi High Court has laid down specific procedures for preparing VIRs. These reports aim to assess the extent of loss suffered by the victims, including the physical, emotional, and financial hardships endured.
It is mandatory for the DLSA to file the VIR in every criminal trial after the conviction before the trial court.
During the recent hearing presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Pramachala, arguments were presented against Jony Kumar, who had been sentenced for rioting and arson. In response to the DLSA’s letter, the judge directed the DCP to take appropriate action in light of the disturbing facts mentioned.
On April 1, the court had previously noted that the DLSA Secretary had requested a future date for submitting the VIR due to the investigating officer’s failure to produce one of the victims for interaction. The judge expressed disappointment over the delay in preparing the VIR for the case.
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In addressing the issue, the court requested the Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) district to sensitize all the station house officers (SHOs) and investigating officers (IOs) to ensure the prompt presentation of victims before the DLSA. This proactive measure aims to expedite the preparation of the VIR by the DLSA.
