Delhi High Court dismisses petitions seeking hate-speech FIRs over 2020 riots
The Delhi High Court has dismissed 15 petitions seeking FIRs and a Special Investigation Team probe into alleged hate speeches by political leaders linked to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The petitions also sought action against police officials accused of failing to perform their duties.
The Delhi High Court has dismissed 15 petitions seeking registration of first information reports and a Special Investigation Team investigation into alleged hate speeches connected with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. A bench comprising Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain rejected the petitions on Monday. They had been filed in the aftermath of the violence and also sought action against police officials accused of dereliction of duty.
One petition, filed by Shaikh Mujtaba, sought an FIR against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma. It alleged that speeches by the leaders contributed to the violence. A separate petition filed by Lawyers Voice named Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
It also named AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM chief Akbaruddin Owaisi and former MLA Warris Pathan. The supplied material does not provide the High Court’s reasons for dismissing the petitions or any further directions issued by the bench. The petitions were filed in 2020, following riots in northeast Delhi.
Their requests included both the registration of criminal cases and the creation of an SIT to investigate the allegations. The proceedings also involved allegations against police personnel. The petitioners sought action against officials they accused of failing to perform their duties during the unrest.
The dismissal means the 15 petitions did not result in the FIRs or SIT probe requested by the petitioners in the material supplied. The source does not state whether the petitioners plan to pursue any further legal challenge. The allegations against the named political leaders were part of the petitions and are not established as findings in the supplied account.
The report also does not detail any response from the leaders or from the police to the claims.
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