The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the stand of student activists Sharjeel Imam, Asif Iqbal Tanha and others on the city police’s challenge to a trial court order discharging them in a 2019 Jamia Nagar violence case.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice to Imam and others on the plea by the Delhi Police, and clarified that the observations of the lower court would not affect further investigation in the matter or trial.
The trial court had in its February 4 order discharged 11 people, including Imam and Tanha, while holding that they were made “scapegoats” by police and that dissent has to be encouraged, not stifled.
The FIR was lodged in connection with the violence that erupted after a clash between police and people protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the Jamia Nagar area here in December 2019.
The police, in its petition, has said the trial court’s order is in the teeth of well settled principles of law, suffers from grave infirmities which go to the root of the matter and is perverse in the eyes of the law.
The police plea said the trial court has not only discharged the accused persons but was also swayed by “emotional” and “sentimental feelings” and has cast aspersions on the prosecuting agency and passed “gravely prejudicial” and “adverse” remarks against the prosecuting agency and the investigation.
This story was originally published in indiatoday.in . Read the full story here