Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the city police before the Delhi High Court on Monday, raised strong objections to certain statements made against the Home Minister by a petitioner seeking action against the police over violence in Jamia Millia Islamia in December last year.
The Solicitor General highlighted the rejoinder filed by one Nabila Hasan in which it was alleged that the order to “mercilessly beat” the students and “break their bones” as they began to assemble outside JMI to begin a peaceful march to the Parliament came from the Home Minister.
“What is the source of your information? What is the evidence? You cannot malign a constitutional authority like this. You say these things in a public rally but not before a constitutional court,” Mr. Mehta said.
“Irresponsible pleading is becoming the order of the day,” he remarked.
Following the objections raised by the Solicitor General, a Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan asked senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing Ms. Hasan, as to why such allegations against the Home Minister was made. The Bench asked Mr. Golsalves to decide if he can remove them.
Responding to the court’s query, Mr. Gonsalves said he will delete the particular lines from the rejoinder and submit it afresh.
The court was hearing a batch of petitions, moved by lawyers, students of JMI, residents of Okhla in south Delhi, seeking setting up of a judicial commission to look into the JMI violence and registration of FIRs against “erring” police officers. Refuting the allegations, Delhi Police has sought dismissal of pleas.
The court has listed the petitions for further hearing on July 13.
Published - July 06, 2020 11:48 pm IST
