18-year-old case, FIR after 10 years, shoddy probe...: Court slams Delhi Police for gross ‘dereliction of duty’

A Delhi court has condemned the Delhi Police for what it described as utter apathy and gross negligence in handling a 2007 murder case where a young man was found dead under suspicious circumstances, but no FIR was registered for nearly a decade.

The shocking lapse came to light when the court took note of the postmortem report and witness statements that clearly pointed to homicide. The victim, believed to be around 30 to 35 years old, was found dead on July 30, 2007, bearing a ligature mark around his neck and grievous injuries on the back of his head, clear indicators of foul play. Yet, the local police neither registered a case nor initiated any meaningful investigation.

“It is indeed unfortunate that a young man was found dead under suspicious and clearly incriminating circumstances, yet no FIR was registered by the concerned police officials,” the court observed.

As per the records, the body was shifted to a nearby drain to conceal the crime, implicating multiple suspects who worked with the victim at Mohan Hotel near Ajmeri Gate. Statements from witnesses named Chander Mohan, Mohd. Alam, Virender Sharma, and Bhuvan suggested the murder took place inside the hotel premises, but the local police failed to act.

What is more alarming is that the then SHO of PS Kamla Market and the concerned ACP did not register an FIR despite having statements, postmortem findings, and information from the crime scene. It was only years later, between June 2016 and July 2017, when Retd. ACP Dinesh Kumar, then serving as SHO at Kamla Market, claimed he found the inquest report while reviewing station records and sought permission for an FIR from the DCP Central.

However, the court noted that even this step appears to have been just a mere formality. The complete police record has not been placed before the court, and no concrete steps were taken to trace or question the suspects or witnesses despite registration of the FIR. “The conduct of police officials posted at PS Kamla Market at the relevant time is highly suspicious and appears to be either wilful inaction or a deliberate attempt to shield the culprits,” the court remarked, adding that such dereliction of duty in a case involving loss of human life cannot be tolerated.

To fix accountability and gross mishandling of the cover-up in the court, Bharti Beniwal, Judicial Magistrate of the First Class, has issued the notice to the DCP Central to submit a detailed report listing all SHOs, Investigating Officers, and ACPs concerned with the case from the date of the death till the registration of the FIR.

India