The Delhi High Court has granted permission to ‘activist’ Harsh Mander to withdraw his writ petition which sought filing of FIR against politicians such as Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma and others for allegedly inciting the Delhi anti-Hindu riots.
The permission was granted after Harsh Mander’s counsel, Kapil Sibal, contended that his client was seeking to approach jurisdictional Magistrate under Section 156(3) of Code of Criminal Procedure for the same relief.
The withdrawal of the petition was allowed by a bench comprising Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan.
Besides, the court also adjourned the hearing on the pleas in the batch till the next Monday, asking Delhi Police to streamline the petitions.
Earlier, the Delhi Police in its affidavit on the petitions, had asserted that the police authorities acted swiftly and expeditiously without any fear or favour as a result of which violence could be limited to certain areas and contained in a few days.
“Speeches made by politicians such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Pravesh Verma, Waris Pathan, and others, are being scrutinised by Delhi Police and appropriate action will be taken against the individual over the course of time if their speeches had led to the incitement of Delhi riots,” read the affidavit filed by Delhi police, adding that pleas raising aspersions on the investigation is nothing but a brazen attempt to misuse public interest litigation.
Harsh Mander accused of inciting violence
While Harsh Mander filed a petition seeking registration of FIR against politicians for their alleged hate speech, he is accused of inciting violence with provocative statements.
The controversial left-wing ‘activist’ who is associated with billionaire George Soros, was seen inciting mobs to hit the streets to protests against the country. In what appeared like an attempt to create anarchy and violence on the streets of the country, Mander said the time has come to decide our fate on the streets as he indirectly called for the dismantling of public institutions in the country. Harsh Mander was also named in the FIR filed by the Delhi Police in the case related to the murder of police personnel Ratan Lal during the Delhi anti-Hindu riots.