CP killings: Delhi HC asks Home ministry to compensate families of traders

“There can be… no doubt as to the liability of the State to compensate the petitioners for the callous and wanton killing of the two unfortunate victims,” the court said.

The judge said the money should be deposited with it within six weeks which would be paid to the family members of Pradeep Goyal and Jagjit Singh,the slain businessmen.

Goyal and Jagjit were killed in Connaught Place on the afternoon of March 31,1997 by ten policemen led by ACP S S Rathi of the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

The third businessman Tarun Preet Singh,who was in the same car with the victims,also got injured in “wanton” shooting by policemen who were following Mohd Yaseen,alleged gangster,in connection with several criminal cases. Jagjit was mistaken by the cops as the criminal.

The court,which considered the Supreme Court verdict upholding life imprisonment of 10 policemen in the case,took strong exception to a provision of Delhi Police (Punishment and Appeal) Rules allowing a cop to remain in service even after his conviction as long as his appeal remains pending.

“It is expected that the proposed amendment… will be carried out without delay,” it said.