Ramlila Maidan crackdown: SC blames Delhi Police and Ramdev equally

The Supreme Court of India, Thursday blamed Delhi Police and Yog Guru Baba Ramdev equally in Ramlila Maidan crackdown case and ordered them to compensate Rajbala's (a follower of Ramdev who died due to getting injuries in police action) kin a sum of 5 lakh and Rs.50,000 to those who got severe injuries.

Commenting over the incident, a bench of Justice B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar said that it was a "glaring example of trust deficit" between the people and the government. The incident could be avoided if both had taken appropriate actions.

"It is a glaring example of trust deficit between the people governing and the people being governed," the bench said.

Slamming to Delhi Police, the bench said that the police used excess force on Baba Ramdev's followers. The police was guilty for unauthorised use of power and being insensitive towards the injured while pulling up the leg to Baba Ramdev, the apex court said, 'Ramdev should not be rigid on his state and should left the ground when Police asked him to do so.'

"Ramdev ought not to have continued with the dharna, there was legal and moral duty on the part of the trust to leave the maidan when the police had asked them to do so."

The Court has ordered the Delhi government and the Delhi Police Commissioner to register a case against officers who caused injury, and those who used lathicharge and tear gas in the crackdown.

The court also instructed to file the case against them who were present there at the time and could not mediate in calming down the situation.

Speaking over the death of Rajbala, a follower of Yog guru, who got severe injury in protecting Baba Ramdev and allegedly getting injured from police lathicharge, the Court said that a crackdown should be avoided if both had stepped up careful action. Court directed Delhi Police and Baba Ramdev to compensate the kin of Rajbala a sum of Rs.5,00,000.

Moreover, a compensation of Rs. 50,000 would be given to those who got serious injury in midnight crackdown incident. Delhi Police would give 75% of the total compensation while 25% would be given by Ramdev's trust, the court directed.

The court also alleged the nexus between Union Home ministry and the Delhi police that led the police to take action in the midnight when Ramdev's followers including women and children were sleeping.

The incident held when Baba Ramdev was sitting on the indefinite fast over the issue of rooting out the corruption from India and bringing back the black money parked in the foreign banks.

The police warned them to leave the venue, as according to government, Baba was permitted to only three days protest, which had expired on June 3. After expiring the date, the police swooped down on Baba Ramdev in order to detain him just after passing the midnight.

The police fired tear gas shells and lathi charged on his supporters to end his day-old indefinite hunger strike on black money issue. Baba jumped away from the stage and managed to escape from the venue, hiding among his followers.

He appeared three days after the incident in Haridwar, his work place in Uttarakhand and alleged the Centre government for police crack down.