The Delhi High Court has dismissed all 15 petitions seeking registration of FIRs and an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into alleged inflammatory speeches linked to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. The pleas, filed after the violence, sought action against several political leaders and raised questions over police conduct during the unrest.
A division bench of Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain passed the order on Monday, rejecting petitions that had remained pending since 2020. The cases included demands for FIRs against politicians accused by petitioners of delivering speeches that allegedly contributed to communal violence.
Petitions named leaders from across the political spectrum, including BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra and Parvesh Verma, as well as opposition figures such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Manish Sisodia. These were allegations by petitioners, not court findings.
The batch also included pleas seeking an independent investigation into alleged police inaction and excesses during the 2019 violence at Jamia Millia Islamia, which occurred during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Other petitions sought an NIA investigation into alleged funding and support behind the protests and violence.
The Northeast Delhi riots erupted on February 24, 2020, amid protests against the CAA and NRC. According to official and media records, the violence left at least 53 people dead and hundreds injured.
The High Court’s latest decision means the requested FIRs and separate SIT investigations will not be ordered through these petitions. Existing proceedings, including matters pending before other courts, will continue according to law.
