NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Monday registered a case of destruction of evidence, fabrication and criminal conspiracy with the intention to save the accused in the Jessica Lal murder case. Though no one has been named in the First Information Report (FIR), it would seek to fix responsibility for acts of omission and commission that led to acquittal of all nine accused in the trial court.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi Police Commissioner K. K. Paul said the trial court judgment was carefully studied in consultation with legal experts, including the Additional Solicitor General of India. "The police found that some of the evidence was tampered with to save the accused."

Also, Mr. Paul said: "It came to light during investigation that some evidence available with investigating officials was not produced in court during trial." The police came across several instances where officials deliberately gave wrong information to save the accused. "A lot of material has come up in the aftermath of the judgment on the basis of which the Mehrauli Station House Officer today registered a case under Sections 120 (B), 201, 218 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code," Mr. Paul added.

The FIR mentions that some officials made illegal efforts to save the accused through various acts of omission and commission. "The criminal conspiracy was aimed at obstructing and deflecting the course of justice," the FIR said.

"A special team, answerable only to Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) U. K. Katna, is being constituted for expeditious investigation. To make sure that there is no delay, competent police officers are being picked up from today itself," Mr. Paul said.

During the course of investigation, the special police team would gather information from all witnesses in the case and also summon the investigating officer, Surender Sharma and his fellow officers involved in the probe. If necessary, the police team can also summon supervisory officers of the case, including then Joint Commissioner of Police Amod Kanth; DCP(South Delhi) Sudhir Yadav; ADCP Vivek Gogia and then Assistant Commissioner of Police O. P. Mishra.

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