Not our jurisdiction: Delhi Police to court on plea seeking FIR against Khattar
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Dec, 2021 11:04 AM
New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Monday told a court that no cognisable offence was committed under its jurisdiction, while replying to a plea seeking lodging of an FIR against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for his alleged remarks against the protesting farmers in a video.
The Delhi Police's submission came after the court sought an action taken report (ATR) in the matter.
The alleged video of Khattar making provocative speeches has been recorded in Chandigarh which is outside the jurisdiction of the Delhi Police, it said, adding that they have gone through the petition and viewed the CD attached to it.
The petitioner, Advocate Amit Sahni, said that the controversial video is available on various social media platforms and viewed by netizens of the national capital, highlighting the farmers are already sitting on the borders of Delhi-NCR.
In the past, a law and order situation was created due to the farmer rallies and protests, he said arguing that such remarks could have spiked the agitation and created a law and order situation in Delhi and NCR.
The court has listed the matter for further hearing on December 21. On the case filed at the Rouse Avenue Court, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Sachin Gupta had directed the Delhi Police to file the status report or ATR (if any) by the Crime Branch.
Sahni had filed the complaint seeking registration of an FIR against Khattar on the basis of a controversial video that went viral.
According to the petition, the video was recorded during a meeting of the Haryana Chief Minister with BJP's Kisan Morcha workers at his residence in Chandigarh.
"The content of the video makes it clear that the alleged accused has committed offence under sections 109, 153, 153A and 505 of the IPC by provocation with an intent to cause a riot, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and making statements conducing to public mischief under section 109, 153, 153A, 505 IPC," the plea said.
The petitioner said, "No one is above the law and the law applies to everyone equally, regardless of anyone's rank or position."
Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26, 2020, against the three new farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 -- which have now been repealed.
9 persons, including four farmers, were killed in the violence that had erupted during a farmers' protest in Lakhimpur Kheri. A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli will hear the matter on Thursday. The matter has been listed as 'violence in Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) leading to loss of life'.
Canadian MP Tim S. Uppal said he was shocked to learn about the brazen attack on protesting farmers. Another Canadian MP Ruby Sahota said she was heartbroken to learn about the violence directed at protesting farmers.
The demand made by citizens primarily mirrored their right to clean air and the right to breathe, underlining the reality that Punjab is home to some of India's most polluted towns, including Mandi Gobindgarh, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Khanna, and Patiala.
The case was assigned to the division bench of Justices A.G. Masih and Ashok Kumar Verma. Earlier, the case was being heard by the bench of Justices Rajan Gupta and Ajay Tewari but the latter recused himself from hearing the case on September 1.
Furnishing details about the incident, Additional DCP-2 Nishant Gupta told IANS that they had received information about a firing incident in the northeast Delhi area on October 1.
The activists of Punjab Congress will walk towards Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh if Priyanka Gandhi is not released and the Union Minister's son accused of murder not arrested, said state party President Navjot Sidhu on Tuesday.
