SC asks Delhi Police to file charge sheet in hate speeches case

PTI, Feb 20, 2023, 2:04 PM IST

The Supreme Court on Monday took note of the submission of the Delhi Police that the probe in a case of hate speeches made at religious assemblies in the national capital in 2021 was at an advanced stage, and asked them to place on record the charge sheet to be filed in the matter.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud was told by Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, appearing for the Delhi Police, that they were expecting a Forensic Science Laboratory report on voice samples of accused.

The law officer said the probe agency will be filing a charge sheet in the matter shortly.

“The additional solicitor general submitted that the investigation is now at an advanced stage. The report of the voice sample is expected soon from the forensic lab. A copy of the charge sheet be placed on records. The matter in the first week of April,” the bench said in its order.

Earlier on January 30, the city police had told the top court that the 2021 hate speeches matter was ”substantially completed” and a final probe report would be filed shortly.

The hate speech case is related to a Hindu Yuva Vahini event organised in Delhi under the leadership of Suresh Chavhanke, the editor of ‘Sudarshan News’, in December 2021.

The top court, meanwhile, had asked the Delhi Police to file an affidavit giving details of the steps taken by them in the case so far.

Lawyer Shadan Farasat, appearing for activist Tushar Gandhi, said the police had not taken any concrete steps to prevent such hate speeches.

On January 13, the apex court posed a volley of questions to the Delhi Police over the delay in registration of FIR and ”no palpable progress” made in the investigation of a case of hate speeches made at religious assemblies in the national capital in 2021 and had sought a report from the investigating officer.

The top court was hearing a contempt petition filed by Gandhi alleging inaction by the Uttarakhand Police and Delhi Police in alleged hate speech cases.

On November 11 last year, the bench had discharged the Uttarakhand government and its police chief from a list of parties to the contempt plea.

The contempt petition was filed seeking punishment for the police chiefs of Delhi and Uttarakhand for their alleged inaction in the cases in violation of the apex court judgment in the Tehseen Poonawala case.

In the judgment, the top court had laid down guidelines as to what action needed to be taken in hate crimes, including mob lynching.

In his petition, the activist sought contempt action against senior police officials for not taking any steps in accordance with the top court’s guidelines meant to curb hate speeches and mob lynching.

The plea claimed immediately after the events took place, the speeches were available in public domain but still the Uttarakhand Police and the Delhi Police did not act against the offenders.

The hate speeches were made at the ‘dharma sansad’ held in Haridwar from December 17 to 19, 2021 and in Delhi on December 19, 2021, the petition alleged.