Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan have tendered unconditional and unqualified apologies to the Supreme Court in the contempt case over restrictions imposed in the national capital during the October 10 protest. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant is scheduled to take up the matter on Thursday.
The two affidavits
The Home Secretary filed a short affidavit late on Wednesday night tendering his "unconditional and unqualified apology", while the Police Commissioner submitted a separate affidavit with the same apology. The contempt case concerns the alleged violation of the court's direction that there be no "complete prohibition" on Metro and train services in Delhi in view of the October 10 protest call by the Cockroach Janta Party, which demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities.
On October 11, the court said the petitioners — the plea was initiated by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi — had made out a prima facie case, and issued contempt notices to Kumar, Mohan and DMRC Chairperson D Thara.
The defence
In his affidavit, Kumar said the October 10 preventive measures, including regulation of Metro services and the removal of people from restricted areas, were based on intelligence inputs and an assessment of the prevailing ground situation, aimed at maintaining peace and tranquillity. He cited the organisers' "recent history of mob violence, destruction of public and private property, and incidents resulting in injuries to several individuals", the events of October 6 to 8, and claimed that an "incorrect narrative" was being propagated about police actions.
The affidavit said permission for the October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar was denied citing the July 20 violence and the organisers' inability to control supporters, and that individuals removed from restricted areas were kept in makeshift centres rather than lock-ups, given meals, and released within a few hours.
Mohan defended the mobile internet suspension as confined to one day — 10 pm on October 9 to 10 pm on October 10 — within a 4-km radius of Raisina Hill, covering only cellular services and not Wi-Fi or broadband, and said it was processed under the applicable statutory safeguards as a proportionate measure to avert public disorder. He prayed that the court discharge the contempt notice and modify its October 11 order to permit such suspensions where legally necessary.
What happens next
Whether the court accepts the two apologies will be known after Thursday's hearing — the first major judicial test of the capital's handling of the October 10 protest curbs.
Sources: The New Indian Express, ETV Bharat, Economic Times
The two affidavits
The Home Secretary filed a short affidavit late on Wednesday night tendering his "unconditional and unqualified apology", while the Police Commissioner submitted a separate affidavit with the same apology. The contempt case concerns the alleged violation of the court's direction that there be no "complete prohibition" on Metro and train services in Delhi in view of the October 10 protest call by the Cockroach Janta Party, which demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral irregularities.
On October 11, the court said the petitioners — the plea was initiated by advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi — had made out a prima facie case, and issued contempt notices to Kumar, Mohan and DMRC Chairperson D Thara.
The defence
In his affidavit, Kumar said the October 10 preventive measures, including regulation of Metro services and the removal of people from restricted areas, were based on intelligence inputs and an assessment of the prevailing ground situation, aimed at maintaining peace and tranquillity. He cited the organisers' "recent history of mob violence, destruction of public and private property, and incidents resulting in injuries to several individuals", the events of October 6 to 8, and claimed that an "incorrect narrative" was being propagated about police actions.
The affidavit said permission for the October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar was denied citing the July 20 violence and the organisers' inability to control supporters, and that individuals removed from restricted areas were kept in makeshift centres rather than lock-ups, given meals, and released within a few hours.
Mohan defended the mobile internet suspension as confined to one day — 10 pm on October 9 to 10 pm on October 10 — within a 4-km radius of Raisina Hill, covering only cellular services and not Wi-Fi or broadband, and said it was processed under the applicable statutory safeguards as a proportionate measure to avert public disorder. He prayed that the court discharge the contempt notice and modify its October 11 order to permit such suspensions where legally necessary.
What happens next
Whether the court accepts the two apologies will be known after Thursday's hearing — the first major judicial test of the capital's handling of the October 10 protest curbs.
Sources: The New Indian Express, ETV Bharat, Economic Times
