Delhi HC dismisses PIL seeking probe into CJP protest lathi-charge claims

The court was hearing a petition filed by Naresh, who claimed to be associated with the media community

The Delhi high court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking a fact-finding inquiry into conflicting accounts over the alleged use of lathis by Delhi police against the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) student protesters during their march towards Parliament by the Delhi police and social media.

A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia held that the jurisdiction of a public interest litigation (PIL) is not intended to adjudicate disputes arising from conflicting versions of events and the petition did not involve any public interest.

“All sorts of matters are filed. Everything that catches your imagination after reading the newspaper, you will file a petition? These high sounding words, accountability, transparency are not to be used in a vacuum like this. What is your petition? Delhi police issued a statement, that statement is being contradicted by the media, and you are asking us to get an inquiry conducted into it. Is there a duty on the Delhi police to decide your representation?” the bench said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Naresh, who claimed to be associated with the media community. He alleged a discrepancy between a statement posted by Delhi police on social media denying the alleged lathi charge and media reports claiming that force had been used against the protesters.

Naresh submitted that he approached the police seeking clarification on the matter, but received no response. He therefore urged the court to direct Delhi police to respond to his representation.