The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a series of petitions demanding the appointment of a Special Investigation Team to probe the 2020 communal clashes in northeast Delhi and the December 2019 violence at Jamia Millia Islamia.
A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Manoj Jain rejected the entire batch of pleas, citing reasoning that will be detailed in a forthcoming written judgment. The court, which had concluded hearings and reserved its decision on July 24, noted during the pronouncement that the litigation had been handled in two distinct segments—one focusing on the northeast Delhi riots and the other on the events at Jamia Millia Islamia.
Demands Arising From Northeast Delhi Clashes
The matters regarding the northeast Delhi violence involved multiple requests from litigants, including directives for the creation of an independent investigation team, a commission of inquiry, or a dedicated fact-finding panel.
The petitions also pressed for the filing of first information reports against police personnel accused of dereliction of duty, along with court orders guaranteeing medical care and financial relief for victims. Additionally, several pleas urged legal action against political figures alleged to have delivered hate speeches in connection with the turmoil.
The violence in the capital’s northeastern districts erupted on February 24, 2020, amid demonstrations concerning the Citizenship Amendment Act. The ensuing unrest resulted in at least 53 deaths and left approximately 700 people injured.
Allegations Regarding Jamia Millia Islamia
The second part of the litigation centered on the clashes that occurred at Jamia Millia Islamia in December 2019 during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act demonstrations.
In those petitions, applicants maintained that an investigation team free from the control of both the central government and the police department was essential to examine allegations of police brutality directed at students during the incident.
