Delhi Riots: HC Allows Impleadment of Politicians for Alleged Hate Speeches

The impleadment plea has sought the prosecution of Kapil Mishra, Anurah Thakur, and Parvesh Verma, among others.

Image from riots in north east Delhi in February 2020.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 13 July, allowed pleas that sought for the prosecution of several political leaders for their alleged hate speeches during the 2020 Delhi riots.

The pleas which also sought for registration of FIRs against the leaders were filed by two petitioners – Shaikh Mujtaba and Lawyers Voice.

While hearing the case, the division bench of justices comprising Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Amit Sharma said that any of the newly added respondents may respond to the impleadment pleas before the next date of hearing which is 2 August, reported LiveLaw.

Who Are the Political Leaders Against Whom Impleadment Is Sought?

The impleadment plea filed by Mujtaba has sought for the prosecution of four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, namely Kapil Mishra, Anurah Thakur, Parvesh Verma, Kapil Mishra, and Abhay Verma by respectively including them as respondent number 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Lawyers Voice, on the other hand, has sought for the impleadment of various leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Manish Sisodia, Amanat Uallah Khan, Akbaruddin Owaisi, Mehmood Pracha, Harsh Mander, Swara Bhaskar, Umar Khalid, Maulana Hamood Raza, and BG Kolse Patil, besides others.

Noting that the said respondents have not raised any objection to the impleadment pleas, the bench said the allegations mentioned against them in the pleas were contradicting formally or completely.

The counsel for the respondents 6 and 8 have in the meantime sought for more time to reply to the plea.

"The counsel appearing for respondents 6 and 8 prays for time to reply to the petition. Let a reply be filed within one week with an advance copy to the petitioners, who may file rejoinder to the same," the court ordered, reported LiveLaw.

The development comes after the court during a previous hearing allowed the two petitioners to implead "proper and necessary parties" in connection with the alleged hate speeches made during the Delhi riots.

The court on Wednesday also clubbed other petitions filed in connection with the case. Among other allegations, petitioner Ajay Gautam sought for an FIR to be registered against political leaders like Waris Pathan, Asaduddin Owaisi, and Salman Khurshid for their alleged hate speeches which were "inflammatory."

In December 2021, the Supreme Court had asked the Delhi HC to expeditiously decide on the petitions that sought for a probe and registration of FIR against politicians over alleged hate speeches made during the riots.

(With inputs from LiveLaw.)