New Delhi's top officials, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, have tendered unconditional apologies to the Supreme Court in a contempt case stemming from restrictions imposed during a planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on October 10. The apex court is set to hear the matter on Thursday, October 15, after an earlier bench found a prima facie case against the officials and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
The contempt proceedings, initiated following petitions including one by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi, allege a violation of the Supreme Court's October 9 directive against a "complete prohibition" on Metro and train services in Delhi. CJP had called for the protest to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged electoral irregularities.
In his affidavit, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan offered an "unconditional and unqualified" apology. He clarified that Delhi Police had requested the suspension of cellular internet services until 10 pm on October 10, a measure he deemed proportionate and lawful. Consequently, mobile internet was shut down from 10 pm on October 9 to 10 pm on October 10 within a four-kilometre radius of Raisina Hill, though Wi-Fi and broadband remained unaffected. Mohan further urged the Supreme Court to modify its October 11 order, allowing internet suspensions "in situations of necessity" strictly as per law.
Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar also submitted an unconditional apology in a separate affidavit, asserting that no willful or deliberate breach of the court's directions occurred. Kumar explained that the steps, which included regulating Metro services, seeking the internet shutdown, and erecting barricades, were taken in good faith based on intelligence inputs suggesting potential gatherings at Jantar Mantar, despite protest permission being denied. Police had received the organisers' intimation on October 7 but turned it down on October 9 due to public order concerns and the CJP's past conduct.
The police affidavit referenced a previous CJP protest at Jantar Mantar, initially permitted for one day with 1,000 participants, which allegedly extended for 36 days. This was reportedly followed by an unauthorised march towards Parliament on July 20, where the gathering swelled to over 35,000, leading to over 240 police personnel, including women, being injured after protesters broke through barricades. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), banning gatherings, were in effect during the October 10 protest.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi had issued notices on October 11 to Mohan, Kumar, and DMRC chairperson D Thara after finding sufficient grounds to proceed with the contempt case.
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đź“° Source: Siasat Gulf