CCTV footage does not establish Manoj Vashishth had fired first

NEW DELHI: A CCTV footage of the encounter between a Delhi Police team and a wanted man, which took place at a restaurant in central Delhi on Saturday night, surfaced today showing two policemen getting into a scuffle with Manoj Vashishth before he slumps after being shot.

The poor quality of the footage does not establish that Delhi Police's claim that Vashishth had first fired shots and police retaliated.

The 29-second clip, which is quite grainy in resolution, shows two policemen in plain clothes walking up to Vashisth at 8:15 PM in Sagar Ratna restaurant in New Rajender Nagar area. Vashishth is seen sitting in the middle of the restaurant with several people.

As soon as Vashishth sees the police, a scuffle breaks out and the policemen are seen trying to pin him down. Although due to the poor quality of the footage, firing of shots could not be seen or heard, Vashistth is seen collapsing on the ground while other guests of the restaurant try to flee.

Meanwhile, the preliminary post-mortem report of Vashishth revealed that he died of the bullet which hit him in the head.

Police had claimed that seeing him firing shots from his licenced revolver, a constable had fired on him in a bid to incapacitate him which led to his death.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked Delhi Police to form a Special Investigation Team ( SIT) to investigate the encounter after family members of Vashishtha met him here today.

Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi has formed the SIT which includes officials from the central district and Crime Branch.

After meeting Singh, Vashishth's widow told reporters that the Home Minister has assured them that justice will be done to them.

"I am hopeful that there will be a fair probe and the Home Minister has assured us of that," she added.

Vashishtha, who was wanted in several cases of fraud and other crimes, was hit by a bullet in the gun-fight with a team of Special Cell of Delhi Police on Saturday. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead.