Not our jurisdiction: Delhi Police to court on plea seeking FIR against Khattar
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Dec, 2021 11:04 AM
New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Monday told a court that no cognisable offence was committed under its jurisdiction, while replying to a plea seeking lodging of an FIR against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for his alleged remarks against the protesting farmers in a video.
The Delhi Police's submission came after the court sought an action taken report (ATR) in the matter.
The alleged video of Khattar making provocative speeches has been recorded in Chandigarh which is outside the jurisdiction of the Delhi Police, it said, adding that they have gone through the petition and viewed the CD attached to it.
The petitioner, Advocate Amit Sahni, said that the controversial video is available on various social media platforms and viewed by netizens of the national capital, highlighting the farmers are already sitting on the borders of Delhi-NCR.
In the past, a law and order situation was created due to the farmer rallies and protests, he said arguing that such remarks could have spiked the agitation and created a law and order situation in Delhi and NCR.
The court has listed the matter for further hearing on December 21. On the case filed at the Rouse Avenue Court, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Sachin Gupta had directed the Delhi Police to file the status report or ATR (if any) by the Crime Branch.
Sahni had filed the complaint seeking registration of an FIR against Khattar on the basis of a controversial video that went viral.
According to the petition, the video was recorded during a meeting of the Haryana Chief Minister with BJP's Kisan Morcha workers at his residence in Chandigarh.
"The content of the video makes it clear that the alleged accused has committed offence under sections 109, 153, 153A and 505 of the IPC by provocation with an intent to cause a riot, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and making statements conducing to public mischief under section 109, 153, 153A, 505 IPC," the plea said.
The petitioner said, "No one is above the law and the law applies to everyone equally, regardless of anyone's rank or position."
Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26, 2020, against the three new farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 -- which have now been repealed.
Hitting out at Navjot Singh Sidhu, the BJP on Monday said that Punjab Congress chief is creating unwarranted fears in the minds of farmers by suggesting that the Centre had plans to do away with the MSP system.
After literally turning a deaf ear to the farmers’ issues for over a year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, November 19, 2021, in a dramatic move, announced the withdrawal of the three controversial farm laws, which were at the heart of the farmers’ protests across the country.
Earlier, Dhesi sent a letter, signed by over 100 British MPs and Lords, to Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the ongoing farmers' protests, asking him to raise this matter with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi when they next liaise.
The Chief Minister told the media here that for more than a year since the Central government had brought three agriculture laws for the benefit of farmers, especially small and marginal ones, unfortunately, some farmer unions had been protesting on the Delhi borders.
While the Centre's announcement to repeal three farm laws is seen as a political decision with eye on forthcoming assembly polls in five states, the BJP claims that it has nothing to do with elections as the party has won many states after laws were passed by the Parliament.
On January 12 this year, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws after scores of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh pitched their tents on various Delhi borders in protest against the three laws.
