SC forms 5-member expert panel to probe police excesses and protest violence in CJP demonstrations

New Delhi : The Supreme Court has constituted a five-member High-Powered Expert Committee (HPEC), headed by retired apex court Justice R Subhash Reddy, to conduct a fact-finding exercise into allegations of police excesses as well as violence by protesters during the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led demonstrations.

The committee comprises former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla and former Meghalaya DGP LR Bishnoi.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the panel would examine the various grievances raised by both protesters and police authorities in connection with the demonstrations.

The bench said the HPEC should give priority to allegations of excessive use of force by police, violence by protesters and allegations of harassment and molestation of women protesters.

It also permitted the panel to examine whether interim compensation should be granted to persons injured during the protests, including both police personnel and protesters.

The apex court made clear that the committee's mandate would not be limited to a one-time inquiry and directed the HPEC to periodically submit interim findings so that the Court could assess the situation and issue further directions wherever necessary.

The bench also directed that CCTV recordings of the protests and body-camera footage from police and security personnel, which had earlier been ordered to be preserved, be handed over to the committee for examination.

At the same time, the top court clarified that the formation of the HPEC would not prevent police or other security authorities from initiating departmental or disciplinary proceedings against officers found to have violated applicable rules. "The constitution of the HPEC by us shall in no way deter or debar the Police authorities or other security forces from taking administrative or disciplinary action," the order stated. (ANI)

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