The Hindu : Front Page : Delhi police set to appeal against Jessica murder case acquittals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006

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Front Page

Delhi police set to appeal against Jessica murder case acquittals

Staff Reporter

"Issue of re-investigation of the case to come later... ."

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Police Commissioner K. K. Paul on Monday apprised senior Union Home Ministry officials of the developments in the Jessica Lal murder case in the wake of the acquittal of all nine accused by the trial court last week.

It is learnt that Dr. Paul informed the Home Ministry officials that the police in consultation with the Director of Prosecution are going through the trial court order to ascertain possible grounds for an appeal against the acquittal.

At a press conference here, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ranjit Narain reiterated that the judgment was being examined. Stating that no vigilance inquiry had been initiated into the case, he said: "Our first step would be to look for possibilities to appeal against the acquittal. The issue of re-investigation in the case would come much later."

According to sources, the police have almost made up their mind to move the Delhi High Court challenging the acquittal order. For his part, Director of Prosecution M. K. Sharma on Monday said he was going through the trial court order to find out why the circumstantial evidence in the case was not considered during the trial. "Earlier the police had not consulted us as the Government had appointed the Special Public Prosecutor for court proceedings," he added.

While the police are under tremendous public pressure to take corrective steps so that justice is done, they are now in the process of preparing a report comprising all documents pertaining to the investigation to submit it before the High Court by March 19. They are apprehensive that the High Court might pull them up for not taking appropriate action when it came to light that crucial evidence had been tampered with, perennially damaging the prosecution's case.

This past Saturday the investigation officer of the case, Surender Sharma, was removed from his post as Station House Officer of the Hauz Khas police station and transferred to the security wing after the court judgment was made public.

The move came as a big surprise to many as no action was taken against anyone in 2001 when senior police officers learnt that crucial evidence had been tampered with.

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