Delhi High Court Seeks Response From Centre, Delhi Police (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Union government and Delhi Police on petitions alleging excessive use of force against CJP protesters during the July 20 ‘Sansad Chalo’ march.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya asked the authorities to file their counter-affidavits within four weeks. The court also directed that CCTV recordings, police body-camera footage, videography and other relevant records connected with the incident be preserved. The matter is scheduled to be heard next on September 11.
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Senior advocates appearing for the petitioners alleged that the demonstration at Jantar Mantar began peacefully and that protesters were exercising their constitutional rights.
They argued that while the authorities could regulate public assemblies, the force allegedly used against demonstrators was disproportionate. Serious allegations were also raised regarding the treatment of women protesters.
The submissions remain allegations before the court and have not yet been judicially established.
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Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju appeared for the Centre and Delhi Police. The court did not deliver a finding on the allegations at this stage and instead sought formal responses from the authorities.
The order to preserve video and electronic records is expected to ensure that potentially relevant evidence remains available during the proceedings.
The petitions follow clashes during the CJP-led march towards Parliament, after which protesters and police offered conflicting accounts of how the violence began. Delhi Police has separately said that video recordings and CCTV footage are being examined as part of its investigation.
