A Delhi court on Tuesday ordered the Delhi Police to conduct further investigation against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra over his alleged involvement in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
“Let further investigation be initiated with respect to the first incident since a cognisable offence has been disclosed by the complainant. Against Mr Kapil Mishra we are directing further investigation since we are of the prima facie view that there is a cognisable offence. Kapil Mishra was seen in the area,” additional chief judicial magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia said while pronouncing the verdict.
The case pertains to a plea filed in August 2024 by Yamuna Vihar resident Mohammad Ilyas, seeking an FIR against Mishra, the then station house officer (SHO) of Dayalpur police station, and five others, including three BJP leaders: Mustafabad MLA Mohan Singh Bisht and former MLAs Jagdish Pradhan and Satpal Sansad.
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Ilyas, represented by advocate Mehmood Pracha, alleged that on February 23, 2020, he witnessed Mishra and his associates blocking a road in Kardampuri and destroying street vendors’ carts. He further claimed that the then deputy commissioner of police (northeast) and other Delhi Police officers stood next to Mishra, warning protestors to vacate the area or face consequences.
{{/usCountry}}Ilyas, represented by advocate Mehmood Pracha, alleged that on February 23, 2020, he witnessed Mishra and his associates blocking a road in Kardampuri and destroying street vendors’ carts. He further claimed that the then deputy commissioner of police (northeast) and other Delhi Police officers stood next to Mishra, warning protestors to vacate the area or face consequences.
{{/usCountry}}The complainant detailed three separate incidents over the following three days, during which he allegedly saw the Dayalpur SHO, along with Pradhan, Bisht and Sansad, vandalising mosques across northeast Delhi.
In February, the Delhi Police told the court that the investigation had revealed a conspiracy to falsely implicate Mishra.
The police claimed that a plan was devised to portray the BJP leader as leading a mob that incited the violence.