The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 3rd November, turned down a Public Interest Litigation asking for a special committee to watch over the Red Fort bomb blast trial on a day-to-day basis and finish the trial in six months. The court said it made no sense to monitor a trial that hadn’t even started. The plea was filed by former AAP MLA Dr Pankaj Pushkar.
STORY | HC refuses to entertain PIL for panel to supervise stages of trial in the Red Fort blast case
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 3, 2025
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition seeking a court-monitored committee to supervise all stages of trial in the Red Fort blast case. The high court… pic.twitter.com/FkZfFDS60u
A bench with Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela rejected the plea. Justice Gedela asked, “What is this? It’s not even started, and you want us to monitor how the trial is to be conducted?” The Chief Justice pointed out that the petitioner showed no violation of fundamental rights and was just assuming delays based on past cases.
The lawyer for Dr Pushkar said a deadline would reassure victims. He alleged that some terror trials in the past took over 25 years, and the previous Red Fort attack case lasted more than seven years. The plea called the blast an attack on India’s symbol of sovereignty, leaving families in the dark about why their loved ones died and who was behind it, hurting their right to the truth under Article 21.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the Central government, said that the PIL missed key facts. The investigation moved from the Delhi Police to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and will follow the strict UAPA law. With the court refusing any directions, the petitioner withdrew the plea.
