No evidence yet of politicians instigating northeast Delhi riots: Police to HC

Investigations into the northeast Delhi riots have not revealed any evidence till now that political leaders instigated or participated in the violence that claimed at least 53 lives, the police told the high court on Monday.

The submission to the Delhi High Court has come in response to pleas alleging that BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma gave hate speeches, which led to the violence.

Another plea had alleged that Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as well as AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Amanatullah Khan, and AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan also gave hate speeches.

In response to these pleas, the police, in its affidavit, has said: "It is submitted that during the investigations conducted so far in all the aforesaid matters related to north-east Delhi riots, no actionable evidence has yet surfaced indicating any role being played by the persons named in the writ petitions in instigating and/or participating in the riots."

The affidavit was placed before a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan on Monday, and the court listed the matter for further hearing on July 21.

In its affidavit, the police said that it "acted promptly, vigilantly and effectively without any fear or favour as a result of which violence could be contained in a few days and could be confined to a limited area".

It said its prima facie investigations revealed that this was not a case of any sporadic or spontaneous violence "but appears to be a part of a well thought of conspiracy to destabilise the harmony in the society".

The police said the investigation conducted so far "is pointing towards a wider and a larger conspiracy and concerted attempts of creating disruption of law and order situation in the national capital territory of Delhi through violent means by disrupting communal harmony in the state and to perpetrate chaos in the society.".

It said the incidents of violence were not instigated in a spur of the moment or because of any tensions between two communities, "but were carefully engineered and funded by mischievous elements and fringe groups, who in pursuit of their motivated hidden agendas, instilled a false fear and panic in the minds of a section of society and provoked/instigated them to take law and order in their hands".

The affidavit said exercising the fundamental right of dissent was and should be respected, but no person could be allowed to commit breach of law, indulge in violence, arson and riotous activity causing danger to life, limb and property of innocent citizens under the garb of exercise of fundamental right of free speech and assembly.

It alleged that the petitioners had not come to court with "clean hands" as "they have selectively chosen certain speeches and incidents to further their hidden agenda".

The police claimed that the petitions were "motivated" as the petitioners had shown "selective outrage" at some incidents, while ignoring other instances of violence.

Apart from seeking action against those who allegedly gave the hate speeches, the pleas have also sought other reliefs, which include setting up of an SIT, FIRs against police officers who were allegedly involved in the violence and disclosure of persons arrested and detained.

In its response to these prayers, police said it had already created three special investigation teams (SITs) under the crime branch and there was no evidence till now that its officers were involved in the violence.

It added that the families of people arrested and detained in connection with the riots had been informed.