Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar has told the Supreme Court that “preventive measures” taken on October 10 were based on intelligence inputs, ever-changing ground situation, and with an objective of preventing any disturbance of public order.
They were not locked up in jails, but kept in makeshift centres. Mr. Not naming the Cockroach Janta Party directly, Mr. Mr.
Baby, represented by advocate Subhash Chandran, petitioner-senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi and others who have challenged the police action and detentions on October 10. Kumar’s affidavit said the police could simply not take a risk on October 10 after the July 20 incident. The affidavit was filed merely hours before a Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi is due to hear a series of petitions filed by CPI(M) general secretary M.A.
The police chief said detainees of the October 10 protests were provided “hot, fresh and good meals”. They were allowed to leave “after the occasion which necessitated their removal ceased to exist”. The police said the detainees were confined only for two to six hours. Kumar said political leaders, “similarly removed”, were “requested to sit in the chambers of the Station House Officers and were provided tea, coffee, meals and other refreshments while fully maintaining the dignity of the office they held or were holding”. The “preventive measures” taken by the police were meant to retain the “peace and tranquility and public order ” of New Delhi, the police chief said. Kumar pointed out that “no police administration can permit any breach of public order in the national capital, particularly when a call is given by an organisation with a recent history of mob violence, destruction of public and private property, and incidents resulting in injuries to several individuals”. The police chief termed the closure of the Metro service as “regulation”, in compliance with a Supreme Court order of October 9, barring prohibition of the services the next day.
