CBI to Investigate Death of Man in 2020 Communal Riots

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has initiated an investigation into the death of a 23-year-old man, Faizan, who was seen in a viral video being assaulted and forced to sing the national anthem during the 2020 communal riots in Delhi. This move follows directives from the Delhi High Court issued on July 23, transferring the case from the Delhi Police to the CBI.

Faizan's mother, Kismatun, filed a plea in 2020, alleging that police officers assaulted and illegally detained her son, denying him essential medical care. Faizan succumbed to his injuries on February 26, 2020, after being released. The viral video showed Faizan and four other Muslim men being beaten by policemen and forced to sing patriotic songs.

High Court Criticism of Police Actions

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani of the Delhi High Court criticised the actions of the Delhi Police as insufficient and delayed. He highlighted that the case involves severe human rights violations driven by religious bigotry, amounting to a hate crime. He noted that mob violence does not lose its severity when perpetrated by police officers instead of ordinary citizens.

The court observed that two sets of video footage exist. One shows Faizan alone being encircled and beaten by policemen. The other shows several young men, including Faizan, lying injured on a road while being brutally assaulted by officers. Justice Bhambhani remarked that even if Faizan and others had sustained injuries earlier during rioting, the footage clearly shows policemen surrounding, dragging, kicking, and striking them with batons while ordering them to sing the national anthem.

Delayed Investigation and Transfer to CBI

In March, police informed the court they were awaiting forensic analysis of certain video footage from the National Forensic Sciences University in Gujarat. However, Justice Bhambhani noted that the investigation lacked promptitude and allowed the petition to transfer the case to CBI for further investigation.

Communal clashes erupted in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, following violence between supporters and protesters of citizenship laws. The unrest resulted in at least 53 deaths and around 700 injuries. Despite four years passing since the incident, Justice Bhambhani pointed out that those responsible for the alleged crime remain at large.

The police had filed a status report in a sealed cover in 2022, stating that they were still identifying the guilty personnel. Justice Bhambhani emphasised that if hate crimes are committed by individuals in uniform, it aggravates the severity of the crime.

The CBI's involvement aims to ensure a thorough investigation into Faizan's death and hold accountable those responsible for this tragic incident during one of Delhi's most violent communal clashes.