Delhi HC Dismisses Pleas for Independent Riots Probe
The Delhi High Court has rejected petitions seeking independent investigations into the 2020 North-East Delhi riots and Jamia Millia Islamia violence.
In a significant legal development, the Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a series of petitions seeking independent investigations into the 2020 North-East Delhi riots and the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia. The bench, comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Manoj Jain, rejected requests for external probes and the registration of fresh FIRs against various political leaders regarding alleged hate speeches and police misconduct.
Rejection of Independent Probe Requests
The court's decision brings a close to multiple legal challenges that sought to move investigations away from the Delhi Police to independent agencies. The petitioners had argued that the existing investigations were insufficient and that political leaders played a pivotal role in inciting violence through inflammatory rhetoric.
Key Petitions and Allegations
The batch of petitions included several high-profile demands for accountability:
- Political Accountability: Petitions filed by Shaikh Mujtaba sought FIRs against BJP leaders, including Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma, and Abhay Verma, regarding their speeches during the period.
- Broad Allegations: Legal representatives had also called for FIRs against prominent leaders from various political spectrums, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Sisodia, Amanatullah Khan, Akbaruddin Owaisi, and Waris Pathan.
- Police Misconduct: CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat had sought an independent probe into the alleged excesses committed by police personnel, Rapid Action Force (RAF) members, and other officials during the unrest.
- Funding Allegations: Petitioner Ajay Gautam had requested an NIA investigation into the alleged funding of anti-CAA protests and sought action against leaders for inflammatory speeches.
Jamia Millia Islamia Violence Dismissed
Beyond the North-East Delhi riots, the High Court also dismissed petitions related to the December 2019 violence at Jamia Millia Islamia. These cases were centered on allegations of police excesses during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Among the petitioners in the Jamia cases was Nabila Hasan, a law student who had previously approached the National Human Rights Commission, alleging that students were assaulted by police during the protests.
Delhi Police Defense
During the proceedings, the Delhi Police opposed the transfer of investigations to outside agencies. The police department maintained that it had already taken comprehensive steps to preserve evidence, including CCTV footage from inside and outside the university and the New Friends Colony area. The department argued that transferring the probe would unnecessarily widen the scope of existing legal proceedings.
The bench concluded the hearing by stating, "For the reasons mentioned in the judgments, both the petitions (batch) are dismissed." The detailed judgments regarding these decisions are expected to be uploaded shortly.