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Journalism of Courage
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought details from the Delhi Police of the status of investigation into the FIRs registered against politicians over alleged hate speeches in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case.
A division bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain, dealing with a bunch of pleas seeking independent probe into hate speeches by politicians and action against erring police personnel, will now be heard on November 21.
The petitions filed in 2020 include those filed by former Rajya Sabha member and CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat; socio-religious organisation Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind; a registered society co-founded by now sitting HC judge Justice Ajay Digpaul, Lawyers’ Voice; a Delhi resident Ajay Gautam. On Tuesday, the bench orally remarked: “FIRs have already been registered. The police are already investigating. Nothing remains.”
While one of the counsels submitted that the police probe had not been fair, Justice Chaudhary remarked, “You challenge it before the magistrate…These are questions of fact. We cannot entertain questions of facts in writs….In the last six to seven years, despite there being an alternate remedy, you have not availed…The petitions are pending for so long without any reason.”
In December 2021, the SC had asked the high court to decide expeditiously, preferably within three months, one of the petitions seeking FIR and investigation against politicians.
