Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxenahas approved the withdrawal of criminal cases filed against 64 migrants whoallegedly violated the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 while trying toescape the capital, an official statement said on Tuesday.
It stated that similar relief will be extended to over 100 migrant workers against whom cases had been filed with Delhi Police. The police have been directed to file closure reports in 10 suchcases registered against them, The Hindu reported.
The LG¡¯s orders have been issued under section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
In the orders, he has asked the DelhiPolice to file closure reports in 10 cases where charge sheets are yet to befiled in 7 cases, and the accused migrants are yet to be traced in 3 cases.
Around 43 such cases under Section 51 ofthe Disaster Management Act, 2005, and other offences were filed against migrantlabourers during the lockdown for allegedly violating measures such as movingon the roads while returning to their rural hometowns during the migrantexodus.
According to a senior Raj Niwas official,Mr Saxena had issued instructions to this effect, taking the ¡°humane and reasoned view¡± that these violations were ¡°essentially petty in nature¡± committed by ¡°poor migrants in a situation of extreme distress¡± caused by thepandemic-induced lockdowns.
¡°The LG has said that this decision willsave the accused from unnecessary harassment and running around,¡± the official toldThe Hindu.
¡°This decision is in line with the SupremeCourt of India¡¯s Judgment on June 9 keeping in mind the hapless and helplesscondition of the migrants in the National Capital, many of whom had lost theirlivelihoods and could not afford their rents and existential needs during thepandemic,¡± the official added.
According to Raj Niwas, 18 of 43 cases hadalready been disposed of or decided upon by courts while in 15 cases wherechargesheets had been filed in courts, the LG has ordered the withdrawal ofprosecution by the Directorate of Prosecution.
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