Granting a major relief to BJP leader and Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra, a Delhi court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking registration of an FIR against him in connection with his alleged role in fanning the Delhi riots of 2020.
While a detailed order is awaited, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Ashwani Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Court dismissed the petition filed by Yamuna Vihar resident Mohammad Ilyas under Section 156(3) CrPC (175(3) of BNSS).
The petitioner had sought the court’s order to the police to file an FIR against Mishra over his alleged role in the riots. Ilyas claimed that he saw Mishra and his supporters blocking a road in Delhi’s Kardampuri and damaging carts of some vendors during the riots.
A purported video of Mishra from 2020 had also gone viral on social media in which he was allegedly heard saying telling a police officer that he would not listen to the police once US President Donald Trump, who was visiting India, is gone.
Ilyas also referred to the video in his plea, saying the then Delhi Police DCP was standing next to Mishra when he made the purported remarks.
Earlier, a magistrate court had directed the Delhi Police to investigate Mishra’s alleged role in the riots. However, the Sessions Court set aside the magistrate’s court’s order.
The Delhi Police had booked a larger conspiracy case in connection with the riots and arrested several activists who were protesting against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
According to the police’s theory, the riots were a pre-planned conspiracy hatched by student activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others.