Supreme Court seeks status report from CBI on custodial death in Delhi

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the CBI to file a status report on the progress of its probe into the alleged custodial death of a man who had tried to intervene to settle a quarrel between a couple in New Delhi last year.

The incident had taken place on September 7 last year at Nand Nagri in Northeast Delhi when the victim, Shahnawaz Chaudhary, tried to intervene in a roadside fight between a couple and the police.

Chaudhary was picked up and taken to the police station. Later, he was rushed to a hospital where he was declared 'brought dead'.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit said the CBI should file an affidavit and status report with regard to the progress made in the investigation so far.

The top court said if a man has died in the police van, it means that he has died in police custody which needs to be investigated.

Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh said it was not a case of custodial death and the victim was drunk and taken in a van to the police station during which he had abused the cops.

Senior standing counsel Rahul Mehra, appearing for the Delhi government, said the Centre has played a fraud on the court and prayed for a stay of CBI probe by appearing on behalf of NCT Delhi.

He said the Centre wants to be present everywhere, while the Delhi High Court has ruled that Delhi government was free to appoint its own prosecutors.

"There is dispute between Centre and Delhi and SLP has already been filed against the Delhi High Court order. It is the subject matter of law and order and it has to be seen whether it comes under the Centre or not," the bench said.