Delhi riots: High Court allows two petitioners to withdraw pleas

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan allowed petitioners Harsh Mandar and Brinda Karat, who were represented by senior lawyer Kapil Sibal and advocate Adit Pujari respectively, to withdraw their petitions.

The Delhi High Court, while hearing several petitions related to the northeast Delhi violence in February this year, on Monday allowed two petitioners to withdraw their pleas with the liberty to approach trial courts.

Around 53 people lost their lives in the violence that erupted in northeast Delhi after clashes erupted between two opposing factions over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). (Raj K Raj/HT file photo)

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan allowed petitioners Harsh Mandar and Brinda Karat, who were represented by senior lawyer Kapil Sibal and advocate Adit Pujari respectively, to withdraw their petitions.

The petitioners, who withdrew their petition, had sought registration of FIRs under provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in the northeast Delhi violence matter.

The High Court also adjourned the matter for next Monday noting that some of the rejoinders and counter-affidavits were not on-record.

The court, while hearing the submission in the matter, showed displeasure with one of the petitioners -- Ajay Gautam -- and said, “don’t make political speeches here in court”. Gautam while making his submissions had said that one community intentionally making attempts to destabilise the peace of the country.

The Delhi Police, in its affidavit on the pleas, had submitted that the police authorities acted promptly, vigilantly, and effectively without any fear or favour as a result of which violence could be contained in few days and to a limited area.

“Speeches of political leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Pravesh Verma, Waris Pathan, and others are being examined by the Delhi Police and necessary action in this regard will be taken in due course of time if it is found on the evidence that their speech had any nexus with the riots,” the affidavit said.

In the affidavit, the Delhi Police said that the petitions raising questions on the investigation is nothing but a blatant and brazen misuse of the public interest litigation.

Around 53 people lost their lives in the violence that erupted in northeast Delhi after clashes erupted between two opposing factions over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).