An urgent application has been submitted to the Supreme Court of India, requesting the reformation of the high-level inquiry committee established to investigate alleged police misconduct during recent protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The petition was raised today before a bench comprised of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana.
Background of the Panel
On August 18, the Supreme Court mandated the creation of a five-member committee chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice R Subhash Reddy. This committee was tasked with examining allegations of police brutality against CJP protestors and counter-allegations involving injuries to police officers and damage to property. Other committee members include former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and former Meghalaya DGP LR Bishnoi.
Application for Reconstitution
The new application seeks changes to the committee’s composition. Representing the applicant, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan requested a hearing for the application next week. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the application, suggesting it may have political motivations. “It’s a very mischievous application,” Mehta argued, urging that the application should be considered with the main matter. He further stated, “This is not a political platform. Something else is happening.”
Court’s Response
CJI Surya Kant shared concerns about the application, particularly the mentioning of names. “We don’t appreciate the mentioning of the names,” he remarked. Sankaranarayanan clarified, “I just said the application may be listed. None of us mentioned names. We gave it up and tried it. There’s a way of doing these things. So we just request that the application be listed. That is all.”
Protests and Aftermath
The court agreed to hear the application regarding the committee’s reconstitution alongside the main petitions concerning alleged police misconduct during the CJP protests. These protests occurred in June, driven by repeated question paper leaks in entrance examinations like NEET. Protestors demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, which he eventually tendered on July 25 after intense demonstrations.
The protests escalated when climate activist Sonam Wangchuk joined, initiating a hunger strike in solidarity. During a “Sansad Chalo” march to the Parliament on July 20, Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force resorted to using lathi charge, teargas, and pellet guns to disperse protestors. Similar police actions were noted in Bihar, including the use of an AK-47 by a policeman against protestors.
These events have led to a series of petitions filed before the Supreme Court, calling for accountability regarding police actions during the protests. The Supreme Court is expected to hear these matters in September.
The Supreme Court’s live coverage of the proceedings mentioned that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the application, labeling it politically charged.
