High Court restrains police from circulating Delhi riots information

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has restrained the police from circulating any information regarding allegations and evidence collected against any accused in the riots cases with any person, including those in the media or on social media platforms.

“The respondent is restrained from issuing any such statements or circulating information regarding allegations and evidence allegedly collected against the petitioner or other accused, to any person, including to the media or on social media platforms,” said a single judge bench presided by Justice Vibhu Bakhru.

The order was passed while the court was hearing a petition filed by PinjraTod activist Devangana Kalita through advocates Adit Pujari and Kriti Awasthi seeking the court’s direction to the Delhi Police to not leak any allegations pertaining to the Petitioner to the media pending investigation, and thereafter during trial.

“The petitioner alleges that the Crime Branch of Delhi Police has been selectively leaking certain information regarding the allegations made against the petitioner and the evidence allegedly collected against her,” Devangana said in her plea.

The court issued notice to the Delhi Police and has asked the concerned DCP of the Crime Branch to file a personal affidavit affirming whether any such information as is mentioned in the present petition has been circulated by the officials of the Crime Branch to third persons, journalists or on social media.

“Let the counter-affidavit along with affidavit of the concerned DCP as directed, be filed within a period of two weeks from today. Rejoinder, if any, be filed within a period of one week thereafter, the bench said while posting the matter for further hearing for July 9.

Delhi Police gets court notice

Court issued notice to Delhi police and has asked concerned Crime Branch DCP to file a personal affidavit whether any such info has been circulated.

(With PTI inputs)