SC asks Uttarakhand to file status report
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Uttarakhand government to file a status report by April 22 after the state said that four FIRs have been registered in connection with the alleged hate speeches made in December last year during an event in Haridwar.
A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and A S Oka was informed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing for the petitioners, that a similar event is scheduled on April 17 in Himachal Pradesh.
The apex court, while granting liberty to serve advance copy of the application on the standing counsel for the state of Himachal Pradesh, said the applicant is free to give intimation to authorities concerned in the state about the event in light of the order passed by the court earlier. The top court had on January 12 issued notice on the plea which has sought direction to ensure investigation and action against those who allegedly made hate speeches during two events held in Haridwar and the national capital. It had then said the petitioners were at liberty to make a representation to the local authorities regarding such events, after Sibal had told the court that a 'Dharam Sansad' was scheduled in Aligarh. The top court was hearing a petition filed by journalist Qurban Ali and former Patna High Court judge and senior advocate Anjana Prakash, who have also sought a direction for an "independent, credible and impartial investigation" by an SIT into the incidents of hate speeches against the Muslim community.
During the hearing on Wednesday, the counsel appearing for Uttarakhand sought time to file counter affidavit in the matter.
Today is the first returnable date. We are for the state. We are seeking some time to file counter, the counsel said.
We have registered four FIRs and in three of them, chargesheets have already been filed, the state's counsel said, adding that he can file a status report in the matter. The bench told Uttarakhand's counsel to file it and said the matter would be taken up on April 22.
