New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has mandated a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the death of Faizan, a 23-year-old Muslim man allegedly beaten by police during the 2020 Delhi riots.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a distressing video that spread widely on social media captured Delhi Police officers assaulting Faizan and coercing him to sing the national anthem. This incident, part of the broader anti-Muslim violence in Delhi, led to his subsequent death.
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani has ordered the case to be transferred from Delhi Police to the CBI following a legal appeal from Faizan’s mother, Kismatun. She argues that her son was severely mistreated by the police at Kardampuri before being unlawfully detained at Jyoti Nagar Police Station without medical care.
Kismatun has also sought the establishment of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to ensure a thorough and monitored investigation of the police’s role in her son’s death.
Vrinda Grover, the lawyer representing Kismatun, criticized the Delhi Police’s handling of the case, pointing out a lack of proper scrutiny over the officers involved, particularly the Station House Officer at Jyoti Nagar.
The Delhi Police, while acknowledging the ongoing investigation, cited delays caused by the need for detailed forensic analysis of video evidence.