Delhi Violence: Supreme Court agrees to hear application for registration of FIRs on complaints made after the attacks

The Supreme Court Bench of Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph today agreed to hear an application filed in the wake of the recent violence in Delhi.

The applicants, Chandra Shekhar Aazad, Wajahat Habibullah and Bahadul Abbas Naqvi, have prayed for directions to the Delhi Police to register FIRs based on complaints filed pertaining to the violence that began on February 23.

The applicants have also prayed for adequate protection to be granted to the protesters in Shaheen Bagh, in view of concerns that they are being threatened with similar violence.

In particular, the applicants refer to a tweet posted by BJP leader Kapil Mishra, where Mishra gave a "three-day ultimatum" to the Delhi Police to clear protests ongoing against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) in Jaffrabad and Chandhbagh.

Later, on the night of February 23, he is said to have mobilised a pro-CAA crowd near an anti-CAA protest site at Jaffrabad, where he used slogans to incite the the crowd. The applicants go on to contend that,

"In an orchestrated move, he left after having incited the crowd, after which violence erupted in Jaffrabad and the peaceful protestors were force to run for safety."

The police are yet to act on FIRs filed by persons injured on the night of February 23 amidst the violence, the applicants argue. As the violence escalated, it is contended that the Shaheen Bagh protestors are also now facing similar threats.

The petition has been filed Advocate Mansoor Ali, and drawn and settled by Advocate Mehmood Pracha.

The plea will be taken up tomorrow, along with the petitions seeking the removal of anti-CAA protesters from Shaheen Bagh.

[Read Application]