The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the investigating officers of the Delhi police to work in accordance with law and not get influenced by the instructions of their superiors while probing the Delhi riots which broke out in February.

A single judge bench of the high court presided by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait also observed that no prejudice is caused to the people of any community by an order of Special Commissioner of Police (Crime & Economic Offences Wing) Praveer Ranjan to its teams probing the northeast Delhi riots asking them to exercise due care and precaution while making any arrests.

The bench observed that since the accused persons have already been chargesheeted in the riots cases, so the July 8 order issued by the senior police officer will cause no prejudice to anyone. "This period was unfortunate for everyone in Delhi. So, we should not continue this (petition) further," the judge said.

The said observations came in while disposing of a petition which claimed that on July 8, Special CP (Crime & Economic Offences Wing) Praveer Ranjan wrote a letter to the probe teams, stating that there were anger and resentment among the Hindus in the Northeast Delhi after the recent arrests of some Hindu youth in connection with the Delhi riots.

The bench also took note of various similar letters issued by other police officers and the intelligence input which led to the issuance of the said order to probe teams.

The bench also suggested that the media, being the fourth pillar of democracy shall run news reports after verifying facts so that no hate or communal angle arises between either of the communities in this country.

"I have noticed, while going through the petition, that the electronic and print media have made some news which are against the letter and spirit of the order issued by respondent no. 4 (Ranjan)," he said.

It also said the observation made by the court will not cause prejudice to Ranjan or any other officer in their service careers.

On the previous date of hearing, the bench had questioned the Delhi Police over an order, passed by the special commissioner of police to the heads of teams investigating the Delhi riots, asking as to "what was the need of issuing such an order"

"Your order seems mischievous, what was the need to issue such an order, is it a regular practice?" questioned a single judge bench of Justice Kait.

The court had also asked Ranjan to place five such orders of similar nature before it.

While petitioner Sahil Parvez's father was shot during the Delhi riots, the other petitioner Mohammad Saeed Salmani's mother was a victim of mob lynching during the riots. The petitioners have questioned the senior police officer's note claiming that the letter was an attempt to influence the investigation.

Communal violence broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after clashes between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.