New Delhi District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar has contested police’s argument that he has no jurisdiction to probe the matter and said he has statutory power to inquire such cases. Earlier, the Delhi police had underlined that the District Magistrate does not have any jurisdiction to probe the matter, which was ordered by the Aam Aadmi Party government over the farmer’s suicide during the rally. On Thursday evening, Mr Kumar has written a letter to Delhi Police and said under Section 176 CrPc when such a case is brought before the magistrate, the magistrate may hold an inquiry into the cause of death in addition to police.
Kumar’s letter also stated that action could be taken under Section 122(b) of the Delhi Police Act if police do not cooperate. The Aam Aadmi Party government and the Delhi Police are at loggerheads over a magisterial inquiry ordered by the Arvind Kejriwal government into the farmer’s suicide.
