The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and several other Aam Aadmi Party leaders following an appeal by the Chandigarh administration against a High Court ruling that quashed a 2020 rioting case against them.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, agreed to hear the union territory administration’s petition challenging the dismissal of the criminal charges.
Representing the Chandigarh administration, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju argued that the incident involved an unlawful assembly where force was used, amounting to a cognizable offence. He contended before the top court that the High Court’s decision to set aside the case was improper.
In addition to Chief Minister Mann, notices were served to key AAP figures, including Harpal Singh Cheema, Gurmeet Singh, Meet Hayer, Baljinder Kaur, and Aman Arora.
Challenge Against High Court Order
The legal dispute stems from a High Court decision that quashed the First Information Report and subsequent chargesheet against the political figures. The charges had been registered under Indian Penal Code sections covering rioting, unlawful assembly, causing hurt to deter a public servant, and using criminal force against a public servant.
In its judgment, the High Court determined that no initial evidence was established against the AAP leaders and that the essential legal elements required for offences under the relevant Indian Penal Code provisions were lacking.
During a prior hearing on July 21, the Supreme Court had noted orally that the case records did not contain specific allegations claiming Mann or the other accused had urged the crowd to engage in violence.
Background of the 2020 Demonstration
The original complaint was filed in 2020 by Constable Manpreet Kaur during an AAP demonstration opposing an increase in electricity tariffs in Chandigarh.
According to the complaint, party leaders encouraged a gathering of approximately 750 to 800 supporters to march toward the Sector 2 residence of then Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. Police stated that demonstrators attempted to push past security barricades and threw stones after authorities deployed water cannons, resulting in minor injuries to several police officers.
