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Suhasini
Haidar: Does anything that Surinder Singh says surprise you?
 Ved
Marwah who headed the first enquiry into the riots joined in the
debate.
Ved Marwah: It's very unfortunate that the proceedings have gone on
for 23 years and if the witnesses are now changing their testimony,
it's because the whole thing has dragged on for so many years. When
I was called to Delhi Police – after the riots were over – I was
given three months. But before I could complete it, I was asked to
stop. Naturally, I couldn't proceed with it despite doing a lot of
work. Commenting on Surinder Singh's or Tytler's statement is
something that the investigative agencies must do.
Suhasini Haidar: But investigative agencies have failed and
witnesses have retracted. Even Surinder Singh says he saw six
policemen with the mob. How is the ordinary person expected to face
up to such power?
Ved Marwah: That's true. If people can be burnt alive on Delhi
roads, it doesn't speak too well of Delhi Police. That's what I was
going to do if I was allowed to proceed with my inquiry. I had
collected all records that did not put the police in very good
light.
Ved Marwah: I think it is very tragic that no conclusion has been
made about who is guilty and who's not in 23 years. But the sad fact
is that I was the inquiry officer and I was given three months to
complete and that didn't happen. And for the last 23 years some
Delhi police officers have been filing one civil suit after another
against me for doing that inquiry. So you see our criminal justice
system is in a very bad shape and if things go on as they are people
will lose confidence.
26 December, 2007
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