New Delhi, March 15 – The Delhi High Court was informed by the Delhi Police on Sunday that all 10 students and activists who were allegedly detained on March 13 and 14 from various parts of the national capital have since been released.
During a special sitting held over the weekend, a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja heard habeas corpus petitions filed by the relatives of some of the detainees, alleging illegal detention.
Appearing for the Delhi Police, Additional Standing Counsel Sanjeev Bhandari told the Justice Chawla-led bench that the individuals were taken into custody in connection with the investigation of a case following the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), and that all of them had now been released.
Taking note of the submission, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the city Police and directed it to file an affidavit within a week explaining the circumstances and legal basis under which the students and activists were detained.
"We have been informed that, as far as the missing persons alleged to have been illegally detained, they have since been released. The respondent (Delhi Police) shall file an affidavit explaining the circumstances and the legal authority by which they were detained within a week from today," the bench said.
It also directed the police to preserve CCTV footage from three locations — Dayal Singh College, the North Campus of the University of Delhi, and the Jahangirpuri area — from where the individuals were allegedly picked up.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for the petitioners submitted that although most of the detainees had been released, one student, Rudra Vikram Roy, was still missing.
Taking note of the submission, the bench directed the police to ascertain his whereabouts and report back. The Delhi High Court further observed that if the students are required to participate in any investigation, they must cooperate with the authorities.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on March 27, while the habeas corpus petition relating to the missing individual will be taken up by the Delhi HC on Monday.