Delhi High Court dismisses 15 petitions seeking FIRs over alleged hate speeches linked to the 2020 riots. (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has dismissed 15 petitions seeking registration of FIRs against several political leaders over alleged hate speeches said to be connected with the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.
A Division Bench of Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Manoj Jain dismissed the batch of pleas, which also raised allegations concerning police inaction and sought an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the communal violence.
The petitions sought criminal action against leaders from different political parties, alleging that speeches delivered before the riots contained statements that could promote communal hostility or disturb public order.
The political figures named in the various petitions included Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra; BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma; and AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Amanatullah Khan.
AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and former MLA Warris Pathan were also among those against whom allegations were raised.
The petitioners argued that the alleged statements warranted investigation and sought directions for registration of FIRs in accordance with law.
Apart from the alleged speeches, the petitions questioned the conduct of the Delhi Police in dealing with complaints relating to inflammatory statements.
The petitioners alleged that appropriate action was not taken on complaints concerning the speeches and sought an independent probe into the alleged lapses by law-enforcement authorities.
Several petitions called for constitution of a Special Investigation Team, arguing that an independent agency was necessary to examine the allegations and determine whether criminal offences had been committed.
The proceedings arose from the communal violence that broke out in parts of North-East Delhi in February 2020. More than 50 people were killed and hundreds were injured during the violence.
The litigation also included issues arising from protests at Jamia Millia Islamia in December 2019 against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Allegations relating to police conduct during the protests and the subsequent handling of complaints formed part of the broader proceedings.
The petitioners had invoked the High Court's jurisdiction seeking directions for registration of criminal cases and an independent investigation into the alleged hate speeches and police response.
After considering the batch of petitions, the Division Bench declined to grant the reliefs sought and dismissed the proceedings.
The ruling concerns the specific petitions seeking fresh FIRs and an independent probe into the allegations against political leaders and police authorities.
The dismissal does not bring an end to other criminal proceedings arising from the 2020 North-East Delhi violence, including cases concerning allegations of a broader conspiracy behind the riots.
