FIR mandatory in cases of alleged fake encounters by police: Delhi HC

An FIR has to be mandatorily registered whenever a person is killed in an allegedly fake encounter by police, the Delhi High Court has held.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna rejected a petition by the State against a sessions court order refusing to interfere with a magistrate’s direction on registration of an FIR against a Delhi Police raiding team following the death of a person who suffered a gunshot injury during a chase.

The court noted that since the deceased, Rakesh, had five other “blunt force” injuries besides the firearm injury on his lower back, it had to be established whether he was mercilessly beaten up.