Court refuses to share details of police report with public, petitioner AAP’s Bhardwaj
The Delhi High Court Monday directed that a status report filed by the Delhi Police concerning the security arrangement at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, where an incident of vandalism occurred in March, be placed before the CM secretariat in a sealed cover.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Sachin Datta said as the status report relates to the security of the Chief Minister, it would not like to disclose complete details to the public and also declined to share it with the petitioner, AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj.
The Bench said, “It concerns the security arrangement at CM residence. In view of the aspects of his security, we are not inclined to share with the petitioner. However, we direct a copy of the status report be placed before the CM secretariat in a sealed cover.”
The Bench also declined the request made by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain for redacting a certain portion of the report, relating to departmental inquiries against Delhi Police officers who were allegedly responsible for the lapse in security, before sharing it with the Chief Minister Secretariat.
“The whole issue concerns lapses. Nobody can deny about lapses. There were lapses we have seen it ourselves. Therefore, the issue about disciplinary action should also be given. You will not redact anything. Give the entire report,” the bench said.
It also directed the Delhi Police to file a further status report giving details of the progress of its investigation into the FIR registered after the incident.