Adjournment for a month unjustified: SC asks High Court to hear Delhi riots pleas on Friday

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi High Court to hear matters related to the northeast Delhi violence on March 6 while observing that the one-month adjournment by the HC was "unjustified".

Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, heading a bench that also comprised Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, requested the Delhi High Court to deal with the matter expeditiously while asking it to explore the possibility of peaceful resolution of the dispute.

"We think that adjournment (in Delhi HC) of such a long period is unjustified. We also do not want to assume jurisdiction when HC is seized of the matter. All other connected matters in the same subject which have been adjourned to a later date may be advanced and taken up along with this matter," CJI Bobde said.

Replying to the CJI, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the situation was not conducive. "We have received 7000 videos. We said right now the situation is not proper. We will when the situation is conducive," Mehta said.

"We don't think that violence can be curbed by court orders. In an injunction, there are specific people. But in a matter like this, there are not specified people," CJI Bobde shot back.

On February 27, while hearing a plea seeking registration of FIRs against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Sahib Singh, and Kapil Mishra and others for allegedly making provocative statements that sparked mob attacks in northeast Delhi, the Delhi HC had adjourned the hearing to as late as April 13.

The Delhi HC Bench presided by Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Hari Shankar acceded to the Centre's argument that "the time was not conducive to file FIRs related to the alleged hate speeches as the priority right now is to ensure peace".

Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, who is representing the petitioners, said there would have been no riots had the "main persons" been jailed while referring to alleged hate speeches made by BJP leaders.

"We also have some experience of riots. Your statement is not absolutely true. Sometimes when you catch leaders and jail them, it flares up," the CJI said, citing the Mumbai riots.

(Inputs from indianexpress.com)