New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday pulled up the Delhi Police for shoddy investigation in a case in which a man was allegedly beaten up by policemen after he helped a victim of a roadside brawl.
Sonu, a metal merchant from Faridabad, was allegedly beaten up by police a few months ago after he took a man injured in the brawl to a hospital near the Welcome Metro Station in northeast Delhi.

Sonu’s mother alleged she had to pay Rs.5,000 in bribe to police to release him.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar said: “Is this the way investigation is conducted? It is hard to get assurance of fair investigation from you (police).”

“Why was the statement of the victim (Sonu) not registered despite our directions two months back? Is this a special case?” the court said while asking the investigation Officer of the case to appear before it Thursday.

Delhi Police counsel Meera Bhatia informed the court that the case has been transferred to the Crime Branch and a departmental inquiry had been initiated against the police officer against whom the allegations of beating Sonu have been raised.

The court had taken suo moto cognisance of a report in the Mail Today Aug 3 and appointed advocate Aparna Bhatt as amicus curiae (friend of the court) to assist it in the case. She submitted to the court that two cases among the nine cases are pending against Sonu after the incident.

“My son is unnecessarily being framed by police. He has been slapped with as many as nine cases in which he was never involved,” the mother told the bench, asking the court for protection and stated that she is living in constant fear.