Delhi riots: HC rejects pleas for FIRs against politicians for hate speech

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed all 15 petitions seeking the registration of FIRs and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged hate speeches by political leaders during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which petitioners claimed helped instigate the 2020 northeast Delhi riots that killed over 50 people.

A bench comprising Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain dismissed the petitions, filed in 2020 in the aftermath of the riots, which also sought action against police officials accused of dereliction of duty.

One of the pleas, filed by Shaikh Mujtaba, sought an FIR against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma, alleging that their speeches contributed to the violence during the riots, reports Live law.

Another petition, filed by Lawyers Voice, named Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra; AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Amanatullah Khan; AIMIM chief Akbaruddin Owaisi; and former MLA Warris Pathan.

On February 24, 2020, communal clashes broke out in northeast Delhi amid protests against the CAA and NRC, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 700 injured.

The violence was marked by incidents of arson and vandalism, making it one of the deadliest episodes of communal violence in the national capital in recent years. - Ends