The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the preservation of CCTV footage, body-camera recordings and other relevant records linked to allegations of excessive force used against protesters, while issuing notices to the Centre and the Delhi Police on petitions seeking an independent probe into the incident.
NDTV reported that hearing the matter, the court questioned the Centre's objection to the petitions, after ASG Raju argued that the case amounted to a publicity petition and that affected individuals should instead file separate FIRs.
"How can you say this is a publicity petition?" the bench asked the law officer.
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The court further observed that, "When there is a Supreme Court judgment and such huge numbers of people are involved, how can you say that individuals should go file FIRs?"
The High Court directed authorities to preserve CCTV footage, body-camera recordings and all other relevant material related to the incident until further orders. It also issued notices to the Centre and the Delhi Police, seeking their responses to the petitions alleging the use of brute force against protesters.
In a separate but related matter, the High Court declined to entertain a plea contending that climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's eviction on July 18 was illegal.
The bench noted that Wangchuk and his wife had not raised the issue before the court themselves.
"What you are referring to is a solitary incident and thus you should go register an FIR," the court observed while refusing to entertain the plea.
The petitions concerning the alleged police action against protesters will now proceed after responses are filed by the Centre and the Delhi Police.
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