Delhi HC issues notice to prominent political leaders in connection with Delhi violence case

The Division Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anoop Kumar Mehndiratta today sought the response of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, and BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Pravesh Sahib Verma, Kapil Mishra, and others.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday issued notices to several prominent political leaders, activists, and others while hearing a batch of petitions in connection with North East Delhi violence, and alleged hate speeches of political leaders. The court has issued notice on the implead application moved by the petitioners seeking registration of FIRs against several politicians for their alleged hate speeches.

The Division Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Anoop Kumar Mehndiratta today sought the response of Congress Leaders Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, and BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Pravesh Sahib Verma, Kapil Mishra, and others.

The bench sought a response from all politicians, activists, and others on the application which freshly impleaded them as a party in the case. The court also issued notice to AAP’s Manish Sisodia, Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM’s Akbaruddin Owaisi, Waris Pathan, and activist Harsh Mander including others, and posted the matter for March 22, 2022.

Earlier, Senior Advocate Colin Gansolvis appearing for a petitioner said he agreed to implead some leaders against whom his petition seeks action as a party and, on the other side Senior Advocate Sonia Mathur appeared for a petitioner ‘Lawyer Voice’ also said she will also implead some political leaders as a party.

The bench is presently examining a batch of petitions in connection with the 2020 violence in North East Delhi and alleged hate speeches by leaders and activists which led to violence in the backdrop of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Petitioners sought necessary action against political leaders if it is found their speech had any nexus with the violence.

One of the petitioners, Ajay Gautam appeared in person earlier and submitted that Delhi riots had not taken place over the night so national security issues were involved in the matter. His petition has urged the court to direct the Centre to order the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to find out the “anti-national forces” behind the agitations and to probe the role of People’s Front of India (PFI) which is alleged, “funding, motivating and supporting the protests”.

Apart from seeking action against those who allegedly gave hate speeches, some pleas have also sought other reliefs, which include setting up of an SIT, FIRs against police officers who were allegedly involved in the violence, and disclosure of persons arrested and detained.

In its response, police earlier had earlier said it had already created three special investigation teams (SIT) under the crime branch and there was no evidence till now that its officers were involved in the violence.

Delhi Police in its fresh status report in Delhi High Court with regards to all 758 FIRs in connection with North East Delhi Violence, along with the detail of present stages before the trial court, following court direction passed of the last date of hearing.

The status report stated that out of 758 cases registered, 695 cases are being investigated by North-East District police. 62 cases that pertained to major incidents like murders etc were transferred to the Crime Branch, where three dedicated ‘Special Investigating Teams’ investigated these cases under continuous monitoring of superior officers. One case pertaining to the larger conspiracy behind the engineering of the communal riots in Delhi is being investigated by the Special Cell.

Delhi Police also submitted that the FIRs arising out of or registered in connection with the riots which took place in North-East District in February-March 2020, have been or are being investigated promptly, diligently, and in accordance with law by the Delhi Police, which is now under trial in courts.

It was also submitted that the investigations carried out by the state police are credible, fair, honest, impartial, and complete in all aspects.

The status report of Delhi Police further submitted that apart from bald, fanciful, and uncorroborated assertions and allegations made in the present batch of petitions, which are motivated and made for reasons extraneous to the process contemplated under CrPC, there exists not even an iota of substance in the present petitions, which are required to be dismissed only on the ground that the investigations and the process of law in connection with the aforesaid FIRs are at an advanced stage and no ground/ circumstances for transferring of the case to a new SIT exists.

Around 53 people lost their lives in the violence that erupted in northeast Delhi after clashes between two opposing factions over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)

(With agency inputs)