A petition in the Delhi High Court seeks action against protestors for violence on July 20. It alleges police inaction and demands recovery of costs for damaged public property, urging criminal proceedings against those responsible.
A fresh petition has been filed before the Delhi High Court seeking directions to the Delhi Police to take swift criminal action against persons allegedly involved in attacking police personnel, damaging public property during the July 20 protest in the national capital, and to recover the entire cost of the damage from those responsible. The petition has been filed by the Save India Foundation against the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
Plea Alleges Police Inaction
According to the plea, it is directed against the alleged illegal, unjustified and unlawful inaction of the Delhi Police in failing to take preventive measures against an alleged illegal gathering at sensitive locations in New Delhi, including Jantar Mantar, the Parliament area and India Gate, despite advance information regarding the mobilisation.
The petitioner submits that the failure to take timely preventive steps ultimately resulted in violence on July 20, during which police personnel on duty were allegedly assaulted, and public property was damaged. Seeking a writ of mandamus, the petition prays for directions to the Delhi Police to register appropriate criminal cases, identify and prosecute all persons responsible for the alleged violence, and recover the full cost of damage caused to public property from the perpetrators. The plea also seeks directions to fix accountability for the alleged failure of the authorities to prevent the gathering and maintain law and order despite prior inputs.
Social Media Mobilisation and Aftermath
According to the petition, a large-scale mobilisation campaign had been underway since early June through social media platforms. It claims that online campaigns and public appeals encouraged people to assemble in central Delhi on July 20, leading to disruption around key public places.
The petition further alleges that the violence resulted in physical attacks on police personnel deployed on duty and caused damage to public property, posing a serious threat to public order and safety. It states that after the incident, the petitioner submitted an urgent representation to the Commissioner of Police seeking immediate legal action against those allegedly involved. The petitioner has urged the High Court to direct the Delhi Police to initiate expeditious criminal proceedings against the alleged offenders, recover the cost of the damage to public property, and pass any other directions considered necessary to protect public order and ensure accountability.
Related PIL Seeks NIA Probe
The fresh plea comes a day after the Delhi High Court agreed to hear on Friday a separate Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking registration of an FIR and an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the July 20 NEET protest and the “Sansad Chalo” march organised over the alleged NEET examination paper leak. That petition seeks transfer of all related Delhi Police investigations to the NIA, alleging a larger conspiracy behind the violence during the protest. (ANI)
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