Chandigarh, Jan 16, 2026
BJP national General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Friday said the order of the Jalandhar court “is in no manner a final verdict, but merely an interim order that is entirely based on a forensic report prepared under the control of the Bhagwant Mann government”.
He said certain sections are deliberately attempting to create confusion by portraying this interim order as a conclusive decision, whereas the reality is that it neither establishes guilt nor finally determines any factual issue.
Chugh said “it is astonishing that the forensic report relied upon for passing this interim order contains no reference to the chain of custody, no examination of possible tampering, no opportunity for the report to be challenged before the court, and no detailed discussion on procedural safeguards. There was neither any opposing witness nor any response placed on record, and conclusions were drawn without transparency or due process”.
He further said the order does not clarify the scientific parameters on which the forensic examination was conducted.
“There is no mention of audio waveform analysis, metadata examination, frame-by-frame scrutiny, or timeline synchronisation, which raises serious questions about the credibility and depth of the forensic exercise and about what material was actually examined”.
Chugh said the most serious question is that if the official video record of Delhi legislative Assembly proceedings was never summoned, then which video and which source were actually examined.
He said proceedings on the floor of the Assembly constitute an official record, particularly when AAP leader Atishi made objectionable remarks concerning Gurus in the Assembly, and bypassing that official record to draw conclusions from other material goes against the very spirit of judicial fairness and due process.
Chugh said that on one hand the Mann government is seeking time in Delhi in matters related to false cases linked to Assembly proceedings, while on the other hand it is misleading the court by securing interim orders on the basis of reports prepared by agencies under its own control.
He said politicising an extremely sensitive issue like the dignity of Gurus and constructing narratives through incomplete and opaque processes is not only improper, but dangerous for democracy and justice.
Chugh demanded that a swift and impartial investigation be conducted into the matter of insult to Gurus. He warned that any government in Punjab that attempts to protect or provide cover to those who insult Gurus will not be tolerated, and such actions will be firmly opposed.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Assembly Secretariat asked the Punjab government to submit by January 22 the forensic report on a video related to AAP leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Atishi.
The development coincided with Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta hinting that a special session of the House may be convened on the matter. Delhi Assembly Secretary Ranjeet Singh, in a letter sent to Punjab government’s Forensic Science Laboratory in SAS Nagar (Mohali), said, “Enclosed is a copy of the press statement stated to have been issued by the Jalandhar Commissionerate of Police. It mentions that a FIR has been lodged in the matter of a video clip of the proceedings of the Delhi Assembly dated January 6, 2026.”
He added: “The press statement issued in Punjab also stated that the video was forensically examined and found to have been deliberately doctored. The press statement was brought to the notice of the Assembly Speaker during the sitting of the House held on January 9, 2026.”
“In view of the facts, you are hereby directed to submit a written statement in this regard along with the complete records, including the application received from the police authorities and the report issued by your office, to the undersigned on or before January 22, 2026.”
Addressing the media in Delhi, Assembly Speaker Gupta said, “In view of the gravity of the issue, the dignity of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, and the need to uphold democratic accountability, a special session of the House may be convened if required, as all decisions in this matter must be taken by the House itself and nowhere else.”
He said the Committee on Privileges of the Delhi Assembly has initiated proceedings in the matter.(Agency)
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