Why Delhi HC asked police to keep video evidence of CJP protest at Jantar Mantar: 'Not isolated incidents'
The Delhi High Court also watched videos put forth by the petitioners, who claimed that there was no evidence to prove the CJP protesters incited violence against the police
The Delhi High Court also watched videos put forth by the petitioners, who claimed that there was no evidence to prove the CJP protesters incited violence against the police.
The Delhi High Court also watched videos put forth by the petitioners, who claimed that there was no evidence to prove the CJP protesters incited violence against the police.
The Delhi High Court also watched videos put forth by the petitioners, who claimed that there was no evidence to prove the CJP protesters incited violence against the police.
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre and the Delhi Police, flagging the use of tear gas, lathi charges, and other excesses at the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) Jantar Mantar protest earlier this week.
Noting that the complaints made in two public interest litigations (PILs) were not about "isolated" incidents, a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia have now sought a response from the police about the issue.
Notably, this comes on the same day that the Supreme Court declined to urgently list a petition challenging the Delhi Police's alleged excesses against CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar.
It had been a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana that had declined the plea for an early hearing, refusing to watch video evidence of the alleged violence.
In that regard, the Delhi High Court has also asked the police to preserve CCTV footage and other video evidence from the protest, a Bar and Bench report said.
The hearing also saw discussions on whether the police's use of lathi charges and tear gas on the young CJP protesters was justified.
After the police on Tuesday claimed that it was the CJP protesters who had begun throwing stones at them, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh claimed that there had been no evidence of the CJP protesters turning violent, and yet, violence had been inflicted on them.
"Children from all walks of life (were there). There is still not a whisper in public domain that people gathered turned violent. There are videos of several people in civil clothes sitting, they along with the police attacked the protesters," Singh said.
Another advocate, N. Hariharan, told the court on behlaf of the petitioners that more than 90 people had suffered injuries as far as students are concerned, urging that an FIR be declared against the policemen seen in videos of the incident.
"We are asking for preservation of all that material about who gave the directions to the police. We are seeking setting up of an SIT. We can't have Delhi Police investigating this. This has to be an independent agency. We have given material where the policemen are clearly identifiable. There are policemen molesting women, using baton in their private parts. It is so ghastly," he argued.
Though the counsel for the Delhi Police again claimed that the CJP protesters had thrown stones at the police, the Delhi HC bench watched some videos of the incident furnished by the lawyers, and made an important statement on videos furnished by both sides.
"We are not saying what (the petitioners) are saying is correct. We are also not in a position to verify the videos yet," the bench said, directing that the case next be heard on September 11.