Take action against ‘rogue’ cops: HC

ALLAHABAD: The Allahabad high court on Monday directed the UP DGP to identify and take action against the policemen who were involved in stray cases of damaging motorcycles and unnecessarily caning the apprehended students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protest in last December.
Passing the order on the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Samit Gopal directed the state police chief to adhere to the report of the rights body.Last month, the high court had asked the NHRC to probe the allegations levelled in a PIL filed by Mohammad Akram Khan.
After the probe, the NHRC recommended that a suitable action might be taken against identified cops as per rules that exist for subordinate officers in UP Police. “The police force should be sensitised and special training modules be carried out to inculcate professionalism in handling such situations,” it added.
Hearing the PIL, the HC took the NHRC report on record and directed the UP chief secretary, the DGP, the CRPF, the vice-chancellor and registrar of AMU to adhere to its recommendations, including payment of compensation to injured AMU students. The court has sought a compliance report on March 25.
Earlier on January 8, the HC had directed the NHRC to probe the allegations levelled in the PIL by Mohammad Akram Khan, who accused cops of unleashing brutality upon students. The petition was filed requesting the court to pass several directions, including setting up of a ‘court monitored committee’ to have a judicial inquiry into acts of violence and arbitrary detention of students by the state police and para-military forces at AMU from December 12 to December 15.
Following the court’s direction, a six-member team of NHRC enquired into the matter and submitted its report before the court.
The report also recommended that the court may direct the AMU V-C, registrar and other authorities to establish a mechanism for better communication with students so that they are not influenced by outsiders.