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Police Probe Fails in Murder Case Investigation: Rohini Court Directs Disciplinary Action Against Erring Officers
In a stinging rebuke to the , Judicial Magistrate First Class Bharti Beniwal of the has directed the to initiate disciplinary proceedings against officers responsible for mishandling the investigation of a suspected murder in Shahbad Dairy. The court expressed deep concern over the "disturbing" transformation of a reported brutal assault into a simple accidental death case, labeling the police’s conduct a "fundamental defect" in the criminal justice process.
The Case Incident The incident dates back to , when Chandresh, locally known as Monu, returned home in the early morning hours suffering from horrific, blood-drenched injuries. According to the version presented before the court, Monu explicitly identified one Nagendra as his assailant, claiming he had been chased by a vehicle and deliberately run over. Despite the victim’s repeated —which were even captured on video by family members—and clear medical evidence, the police initially registered the under sections related to rash and negligent driving.
A Pattern of "Grave Lapses" The court’s scrutiny revealed a trail of . Despite the victim surviving for 22 days following the incident, providing significant time for collection of evidence, investigators failed to record statements from medical personnel, preserve the crime scene, or document critical evidence like blood-stained clothing and scene-of-crime photos.
Instead, the police appeared to have fixated on a narrative provided by the accused, suggesting the incident was an accident caused by intoxication. Magistrate Beniwal noted with alarm that the and , which showed no trace of alcohol, were conveniently overlooked by the officials in favor of the accused’s story.
Key Observations Highlighting the severity of the institutional failure, the court stated:
"The record discloses aon the part of theand thein conducting a prompt and effective investigation. As a result, vital, which was available at the initial stage, has not been properly collected and preserved and now stands irretrievably lost."
The court further criticized the supervisory hierarchy:
"When matters of such seriousness are brought to the notice of senior supervisory officers such as the DCP and Joint CP, it is expected that they would independently examine the case file at least at a preliminary level... Such independent scrutiny is necessary to ensure that corrective action is taken at the appropriate stage itself."
Implications for Future Investigations Invoking the ’s precedent in , the court emphasized that it is empowered to direct disciplinary action when investigation reveals " ." The Judicial Magistrate clarified that the previously issued by the police department were insufficient given the gravity of the potential
The has been ordered to personally review the case and report back on disciplinary action by the next hearing on Furthermore, a new medical opinion has been sought to determine if the victim’s injuries were definitively sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature, ensuring that the legal path forward remains grounded in objective forensic science rather than the negligent narratives of the past.
