National anthem case: Delhi HC urges to expedite investigation into Faizan's death during 2020 riots

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has heard a petition filed by Kismatun, the mother of the deceased Faizan, who is seeking a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into her son's death.

In a video that surfaced on social media, Faizan was seen being beaten by the police and forced to sing the national anthem and 'Vande Mataram' along with four other Muslim men.

Kismatun has alleged that the police illegally detained her son and denied him crucial medical care, which led to his death on February 26, 2020, after he was released.

Recently, when the court was hearing Kismatun's plea, Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing her, pressed for an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances of her son's death, citing significant delays.

Before Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, Grover cited a recent Supreme Court decision where a similar case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), suggesting that despite a fair investigation, the effectiveness was questionable, warranting external oversight.

The hearing, which included Senior Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad and high-ranking police officials, involved a review of various documents, CCTV footage, and other investigative materials

However, the officials requested that details of the ongoing probe not be disclosed to Faizan's mother at this stage, stressing the need for confidentiality during the ongoing investigative process.

The court will hear the matter now on May 8.

Earlier, Grover had presented a video to the court and claimed that the deceased was the target of a "targeted hate crime."

Grover had argued that there needs to be a court-monitored investigation to hold erring officials accountable and to break the "brotherhood of khaki."

Grover had asserted that there were two sets of police officers responsible for the custodial death of Faizan.

She had alleged that the deceased was first beaten by a group of police officers as seen in the video footage and later, illegally detained, further beaten, and denied medical care at the police station.

Grover had stressed that the deceased was not involved in rioting and that the post-mortem report showed an increase in the number of injuries sustained by him during his detention at the police station.

She had accused the police officials of suppressing and falsifying records in the matter.

Grover had submitted that three years have passed, and the ongoing investigation inspires no confidence.

"This (ongoing) investigation inspires no confidence. I do not know an accused who is not in khaki and will not be arrested (under similar circumstances) and taken for custodial interrogation. I am seeking fair investigation," Grover had said.

When the court observed that a status report filed by the police in a sealed cover "itself contains information that is damning," Grover had eemarked that everything is in their knowledge yet no action takes place.