Delhi riots: HC asks Brinda Karat to give FIRs pertaining to probe against police

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat to place before it copies of FIRs in which she is seeking an independent probe into alleged excessive use of force by police personnel here during the riots of 2020.

A bench headed by Justice Siddharth Mridul said once such FIRs are on record, a direction may be passed to the Delhi Police to file a status report in relation to the investigation in the matters.

The counsel for Karat told the court there were several

FIRs with regards the alleged misuse of power by the police during the February 2020 violence that erupted in north

east delhi.

One such incident, she said, was revealed in a “viral” video which showed some policemen allegedly beating

a Muslim youth while forcing them to sing the national anthem.

“Please file copy of FIRs in which you want us to direct independent probe. Place it on record. (List on August 7) to enable the petitioner to place on record copies of subject FIRs,” said the bench also comprising Justice Anish Dayal.

The court was hearing a batch of petitions which were filed in the aftermath of the 2020 riots.

Besides Karat’s petition seeking investigation by an independent body, petitions seeking FIRs against several political leaders for allegedly delivering hate speeches were also listed.

The court directed that all cases be listed for hearing on August 7.

On July 13, 2022, the high court had made various political leaders — Anurag Thakur (BJP), Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Congress), Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, etc — parties to proceedings seeking FIR and investigation against them for allegedly delivering hate speeches leading to the violence.

Petitioner Shaikh Mujtaba Farooq has sought FIR for hate speech against BJP leaders Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma, and Abhay Verma.