New Delhi, October 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a batch of petitions seeking independent and court-monitored investigations into the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, alleged police excesses during the 2019 violence at Jamia Millia Islamia University and pleas for registration of FIRs against political leaders over alleged hate speeches.
A Bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain dismissed the petitions, including requests for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or a judicially monitored mechanism to examine the riots and allegations concerning the conduct of Delhi Police. The detailed judgments are awaited.
Among the petitions relating to the 2020 riots were pleas seeking FIRs against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma over alleged hate speeches, along with action against police personnel accused of dereliction of duty.
The petitioners had sought an investigation by officers from outside Delhi or a judicially headed body to examine the violence and the alleged role of police personnel.
A separate petition by Lawyers’ Voice sought action over alleged hate speeches attributed to several political and public figures, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Sisodia, Amanatullah Khan, Asaduddin Owaisi and Warris Pathan, among others.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat had also sought an independent probe into allegations of offences and atrocities allegedly committed by members of the Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force and other state functionaries during the riots.
Another petition filed by activist Ajay Gautam sought an investigation by the National Investigation Agency into the alleged funding and sponsorship of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, including allegations of an international conspiracy and foreign funding.
The court was also considering petitions concerning the December 2019 violence at Jamia Millia Islamia, when students were protesting against the CAA. Several students and others had sought an SIT to investigate allegations of police atrocities inside the university.
The court’s ruling comes amid continuing litigation over allegations concerning political leaders and the adequacy of investigations into the February 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, in which more than 50 people were killed and hundreds injured.
In November 2025, a Delhi special court had set aside an earlier direction for “further investigation” into the alleged role of then BJP leader Kapil Mishra in connection with the riots.
Special Judge Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts had allowed revision petitions filed by Delhi Police and Mishra, holding that the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s directions were “illegal, without jurisdiction and unsustainable in law”.
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