Delhi High Court Seeks Centre's Response On Plea For FIR Against Gandhis, Owaisi For Alleged Hate Speech

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the response of the Centre, Delhi government and the police on pleas seeking FIRs against political leaders, including Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for alleged hate speeches. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued the notice to the Union Home Ministry, Delhi government and the police on the petition, which seeks FIRs against Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan, AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi and former AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan.

Apart from registration of FIRs, the petition by Lawyers Voice also seeks setting up of a special investigation team to look into the alleged hate speeches by all of them.

Two separate applications were filed in another petition relating to alleged hate speech by three BJP leaders, seeking action against AIMIM leaders Pathan, Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan, Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker and radio jockey Sayema for alleged hate speeches by them.

One of the applications by Vishnu Gupta of fringe right-wing outfit Hindu Sena, has sought FIRs against the AIMIM leaders alleging that hate speeches by them surcharged communal tension in Delhi.

The other application by Sanjiv Kumar has sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency into the communal violence in northeast Delhi and the alleged hate speeches by Khan, Bhasker, Sayema and Harsh Mander, who filed the petition seeking FIR against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Kapil Mishra.

Both applications have been filed in Mander's petition and the applicants have also sought to be impleaded in the matter.

Apart from the action against the BJP leaders, Mander's petition had also sought lodging of FIRs and arrests in connection with the communal violence in northeast Delhi over the amended citizenship law.

The high court issued notice to the MHA, Delhi government and police and sought their stand on these fresh applications, which have been listed for hearing on April 30.