The panel will examine allegations linked to the July 20 protests at Jantar Mantar and review evidence including CCTV, drone and body-camera footage
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has constituted a five-member High-Powered Expert Committee (HPEC) to examine allegations of police excesses during student protests against paper leaks, including the July 20 demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
The committee will be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy. Its other members are former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and retired Meghalaya DGP Dr LR Bishnoi.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymala Bagchi and V Mohana, passed the order on August 18 while hearing petitions alleging police excesses against protesters. The petitions had also sought an SIT or CBI investigation.
The court said the panel was constituted after considering the expertise, experience and diversity of its members and expressed confidence that its recommendations would assist the court in assessing the issues comprehensively.
The Supreme Court directed police, paramilitary forces and other investigating agencies to preserve and provide the HPEC with CCTV footage, drone footage, body-worn camera recordings, videography, wireless communication records and PCR call logs related to the protests.
The court clarified that the committee’s formation would not prevent authorities from taking administrative or disciplinary action against officers found to have violated service rules.
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