Delhi riots: HC seeks netas' views to make them parties

One-liner: The Delhi HC on Monday sought the stand of several political leaders and others on pleas to make them parties to proceedings seeking FIR and investigation against them for allegedly delivering hate speeches.

Need to know: The hate speeches pertained to Feb 2020 riots amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Notice issued: A bench, which was dealing with a batch of petitions concerning the 2020 riots in northeast Delhi, issued notice to all proposed respondents -- persons against whom action is sought in the petitions.

BJP leaders: One impleadment is filed by petitioner Shaikh Mujtaba Farooq who has sought FIR for hate speech against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma.

Cong leaders: The other application is by petitioner Lawyers Voice which has sought the registration of hate speech FIRs against Cong leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Other leaders: It has also sought FIR against Dy CM Manish Sisodia, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM leader Owaisi, ex-AIMIM MLA Warris Pathan, Mehmood Pracha, Harsh Mander, Mufti Mohd Ismail, Swara Bhasker, Umar Khalid, BG Kolse Patil and others.

Time granted: The court had earlier granted time to petitioners' advocates for filing applications for adding as parties certain political leaders to the pleas alleging that they delivered hate speeches which led to the 2020 violence.

Evidence not available: The police, in their affidavit earlier, has said that investigation into the riots have not revealed any evidence till now that political leaders instigated or participated in the violence.

Bottom line: The matter would be heard next on March 22. 

Source: PTI