SC pulls up both Baba Ramdev and Delhi Police for 2011 Ramlila ground midnight crackdown

New Delhi - The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up both yoga guru Baba Ramdev and the Delhi Police for the way they behaved during the June 4-5, 2011 midnight  crackdown at the Ram Lila Ground.

Pronouncing its order on the Delhi Police's midnight crackdown on Baba Ramdev's camp in New Delhi, the apex court said the yoga guru was guilty of negligence, while the Delhi Police was  at fault for not taking timely steps to avert a confrontation.

Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports that indicated the brutality of police action against the followers of Ramdev, including women and children, who were reportedly sleeping at the  time of the crackdown, the apex court said that it wasn't a situation emergency to warrant such a violent and arbitrary crackdown. It said that the Delhi Police could have exercised restraint in  the matter.

Commenting on the death of a woman Rajbala during the incident, the court directed the state government and Baba Ramdev to pay a compensation of Rs.5 lakh to her next of kin.

The court directed Baba Ramdev to pay 25 percent of the compensation, while the rest 75 percent would have to be paid by the Government of Delhi.

Baba Ramdev had earlier alleged that the police action was carried out on the instructions of their political masters and demanded action against all people who had directed the mid-night  crackdown.

Delhi Police, however, claimed Baba Ramdev had instigated his followers to indulge in violence, forcing the police to act at that time of the night.