Farmer's suicide: District Magistrate, police at loggerhead over jurisdiction

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government and the city police were today engaged in a tussle over the issue of statutory powers of a District Magistrate who has been asked to probe the suicide by a farmer here.

Delhi Police had written to District Magistrate, New Delhi district, who has been asked to conduct a magisterial enquiry by the city government that it has no jurisdiction in the matter as it was a subject matter of an FIR filed under various sections of IPC including abatement of suicide.

The District Magistrate contested police's argument that he has no jurisdiction to probe the matter saying he has statutory power to enquire such cases.

DM Sanjay Singh wrote a letter to Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Vijay Singh asking the police to furnish all documents and evidences regarding the incident by 11 AM tomorrow failing which it would be deemed a criminal offence as per law.

"As per Section 174(1) and Section 176(1) Criminal Procedure Code, a DM has power to probe such matter. Even in previous cases, magisterial enquiry had been conducted.

"In a suicide case on February 24 this year, police had also provided all information to district magistrate, but why police is now saying that DM has no jurisdiction in this case," a senior Delhi government official said.

Officer also said that as per Section 122 of Delhi Police Act, punishment is also prescribed if the desired information is not provided.