Delhi riots: HC grants time to implead people who gave ‘hate speeches’

A bench of justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup J Bhambhani noted that several people, against whom action has been sought by the petitioners, have not been added as parties to the case.

The Delhi high court, while hearing a bunch of pleas seeking an independent investigation into the north-east Delhi riots and also FIRs against political leaders for their alleged hate speech that ultimately led to the violence in 2020, on Tuesday granted time to petitioner counsels to implead as parties all leaders named in the pleas.

The riots northeast Delhi left at least 53 people dead. (Amal KS/HT File)

A bench of justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup J Bhambhani noted that several people, against whom action has been sought by the petitioners, have not been added as parties to the case. Senior advocates Colin Gonsalves and Sonia Mathur, appearing for Shaikh Mujtaba Farooq and Lawyers Voice, respectively, said they will file applications to implead the people concerned.

The bench clarified that it will only consider the applications once they are filed.

Petitioner Farooq has sought the registration of hate speech FIRs against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma, and Abhay Verma.

Lawyers’ Voice sought cases against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and former AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan. The matter will be heard on February 16.