Delhi HC seeks response from police, media on information leak

A single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court issued notice to Delhi Police, Zee Media Corporation, OpIndia and two social media platforms seeking their response over a plea filed by JMI scholar and Delhi riots accused Asif Iqbal Tanha. He has sought an inquiry against police officials for leaking information to some media houses.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response from the Delhi Police and others over a plea filed by Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) scholar and Delhi riots accused Asif Iqbal Tanha seeking inquiry against police officials for leaking information to some media houses.

A single-judge bench of the High Court presided by Justice Vibhu Bakhru issued notice to Delhi Police, Zee Media Corporation, OpIndia and two social media platforms Youtube and Facebook over a petition filed by Asif Iqbal Tanha, a student of the Jamia Milia Islamia who was arrested in a case related to communal violence in northeast Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in February.

While posting the matter for further hearing on September 11, the bench said, "I agree it's not acceptable behaviour by some of the officials who have done this and advocate Rajat Nair (representing the Delhi Police) will agree with it."

During the course of hearing, Advocate Siddharth Aggarwal appearing for the petitioner said that while the trial court was considering the bail plea of his client, the timing of publication of articles in the media was such that it was not only prejudicing the public mind but also the trained mind which was hearing the bail application.

The petition said that Tanha was aggrieved by various publications reporting that he has confessed to orchestrating the Delhi riots and alleged that he was coerced to sign certain papers in the effective custody of the police.

Tanha, who was arrested in May, is currently lodged in judicial custody in the Delhi riots case.

Tanha, a third-year student of BA in the Persian language, was earlier arrested in connection with the violence in the Jamia area during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December last year.

(IANS Report)