HC wants Najeeb Ahmed report in 3 days

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday put Delhi Police on notice over missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed.

A bench of Justices G S Sistani and Vinod Goel sought reply from the police and the AAP government on the plea by his distraught mother Fatima, saying that despite Ahmed missing for 40 days a probe has not been conducted.

In her habeus corpus plea, Fatima has sought court’s intervention and directions to Delhi Police and the government to trace her son who went missing on October 15 soon after an alleged scuffle inside the JNU campus with ABVP members.

The bench has given three-day time to the police to file a status report on the current stage of investigation and explain their stand on allegations levelled by Ahmed’s mother. In her petition, Fatima has also sought setting up of a “court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) of impartial officers of proven integrity from outside Delhi” to take over the investigation from the Crime Branch.

Earlier, an SIT of Delhi Police was set up to trace Ahmed on instructions of Union home minister, Rajnath Singh, and it even announced a financial reward to anyone who can provide information about his whereabouts but to little avail.

Fatima has alleged that her son was beaten up by ABVP members “which is affiliated to the RSS and therefore, closely connected with BJP, the party at the Centre, and since Delhi Police comes under the control of the Centre, it is unlikely that any progress will be made in the investigation”.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves urged the court to intervene and expressed lack of faith in current police investigation. She has also accused JNU administration of shielding the people involved in Ahmed’s disappearance and demanded immediate action against them.

Delhi Police standing counsel Rahul Mehra assured the court that a comprehensive report will be filed in response to the plea.