Bengaluru: A delegation of lawyers, students, and activists on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the Director General of Police (DGP), Karnataka, seeking a departmental inquiry against the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh (UP) police for allegedly violating inter-state procedural guidelines while conducting investigations in Karnataka.
The delegation also raised concerns over the increasing number of hate speeches in the state and urged the Karnataka police chief to initiate necessary actions against the hate speech mongers.
The memorandum detailed troubling incidents involving the harassment of human rights defenders Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News, and Nadeem Khan, National Secretary, Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR).
In the case of Zubair, the memorandum alleged that UP police landed at the former's house in Bengaluru on October 28, 2024, without prior notice or a warrant to interrogate him in connection with his social media post seeking UP police to act against Yati Narsinghanand.
Zubair while posting the video of Narsinghanand's hate speech delivered in Ghaziabad on September 29, 2024, had asked UP police to act. "Instead of investigating the hate speech, the UP police filed an FIR against Zubair," the memorandum said.
The memorandum also highlighted how Nadeem Khan was coerced by the Delhi Police to travel to the national capital with them on November 30, 2024, over an FIR filed under available sections. "In both cases, local police were not notified which is a clear which is a clear violation of inter-state investigation protocols," the memorandum said.
"The Supreme Court in its ruling in the Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar case, has mandated that a notice for appearance is a must before any arrest. The Delhi High Court's guidelines on inter-state investigations emphasise coordination with local police and proper documentation. But both these directives were thrown to the wind by the Delhi and UP police in these cases. Therefore, the Karnataka police must initiate departmental inquiries against Delhi and UP Police besides issuing clear guidelines to prevent future violations of inter-state investigation protocols," the delegation demanded.
Rising Hate Speeches in Karnataka
The memorandum also highlighted the increasing incidents of hate speeches in Karnataka, particularly by BJP leaders including former minister K S Eshwarappa and senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in the wake of the ongoing waqf controversy.
Stating that such rhetoric undermines the constitutional values of fraternity and dignity, the delegation sought the police to take suo-motu action against the hate speeches as per the Supreme Court directives.
