The Hindu : New Delhi News : Law & order

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Law & order

It is to be seen if the police will act with the same zeal in punishing their own who subverted the process of law in the Jessica case, says Devesh K. Pandey

Ramani's arrest raises expectations

Seven years after Jessica Lal was murdered, the Delhi police have arrested Bina Ramani for allegedly submitting forged documents to obtain an eating-house licence for the Mehrauli restaurant where the young model was shot dead. The action has raised public expectations from the Delhi police and they want to know when the cops will act against the "unknown" officers against whom a case was registered for tampering with evidence to facilitate acquittal of the accused in the murder case.

It was during their investigation into Jessica's sensational murder inside the crowded restaurant that the police found that Ms. Ramani had obtained the licence for the restaurant allegedly on the basis of forged documents. They also came to know that liquor was being served at the restaurant without a proper licence. Though Ms. Ramani was booked under the Excise Act, she was subsequently acquitted in that case.

She has now been arrested again and is being questioned in connection with the charges of forgery. While the charges against her do not appear to have a direct bearing on the appeal against acquittals in the Jessica Lal murder case, the alleged deliberate oversight by some police officers during the investigation had certainly dealt a heavy blow to the case.

Only after a huge public hue and cry over the acquittal of the accused and criticism of the police from all quarters that they sprang into action in March this year. They registered a case against "unknown" officers for destruction of evidence, fabrication and criminal conspiracy with the intention to save the accused from being convicted. The move was considered path-breaking as it was supposed to fix responsibility for acts of commission and omission in the case. During the investigation preceding the registration of that case, the police had found that some of the evidence available with investigating officials was not produced in the court during trial. The police also came across instances wherein officials had intentionally submitted wrong information to help the accused.

About the new case, Delhi Police Commissioner K. K. Paul said: "A lot of material has come up in the aftermath of the judgment on the basis of which the Mehrauli Station House Officer registered a case under Sections 120 (B), 201, 218 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code." He also said that for a speedy investigation into the acts of omission and commission, a special team answerable only to the Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) had been constituted.

The registration of the case was followed by earnest questioning of the first investigating officer of the case, his supervisory officers and the forensic official by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The then Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) was also summoned for his response over the alleged goof-ups.

The team, which was constituted to identify the officers who deliberately weakened the Jessica murder case, showed great agility in taking action against a person accused of committing forgery. However, it is yet to be seen when the police will act with the same enthusiasm in punishing their own who subverted the process of law in a case of cold-blooded murder.

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