2020 Delhi riots: Court stays further probe against Kapil Mishra till April 21

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday stayed till April 21, an order for further probe against Law Minister Kapil Mishra for his alleged role in the February 2020 riots.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja stayed the order after Mishra moved court with a plea against the magisterial court verdict.

The court also issued notice to complainant Mohammad Ilyas, on whose plea the magistrate ordered the FIR, and asked him to respond by April 21.

Additional chief judicial magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia on April 1 "prima facie" found a cognisable offence against Mishra requiring further investigation.

“It is clear that Mishra was in the area at the time of alleged offence… further probe required,” the judge had said.

Delhi Police had opposed Ilyas' plea saying Mishra had no role in the riots.

Violence broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, following protests over the citizenship law, leaving 53 dead and several injured.

The police had informed the magistrate that "a plan" was being "hatched to shift the blame on Mishra".

Mishra’s role was already investigated in the larger conspiracy behind the riots, it added.

"The chats of the DPSG (Delhi protest support group) show that the chakka jams were planned well in advance, as early as February 15 and 17, 2020. Police investigation had revealed that a plan was hatched to shift the blame on Mishra," it added.

Ilyas sought the FIR against Mishra, then SHO of Dayalpur and five others, including BJP MLA Mohan Singh Bisht and former BJP MLAs Jagdish Pradhan and Satpal Sansad.