During the Parliament march on July 20, security forces lathi-charged and fired tear gas on supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party
The Supreme Court will formally issue an order today for the formation of a high-level committee to investigate allegations surrounding the CJP-led student protests and police action during the July 20 Parliament March.
The committee is expected to include former Supreme Court judges, former High Court Chief Justices, former DGPs and former CBI directors, among other members. The court had earlier asked the petitioners and other parties to suggest names for the panel.
Delhi Police: Parliament March was illegal
Delhi Police told the Supreme Court that the July 20 Parliament March was held without permission and was therefore illegal. In an affidavit filed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma, the police said several history-sheeters and people with criminal records were also present at Jantar Mantar.
According to the police, protesters broke barricades, assaulted personnel and snatched their safety equipment. The police said force was used to control the situation but denied allegations of excessive force.
The affidavit was filed in response to petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation into alleged police excesses during the protest.
Clashes also occurred between protesters and police during the Parliament march on July 20. Policemen and protesters were injured in it.
The firing of tear gas shells caused chaos among the protesters.
Police affidavit makes six key claims
1. Over 30,000 protesters, 5,000 policemen deployed: Police said more than 30,000 protesters gathered around Jantar Mantar, while nearly 5,000 personnel were deployed across an area of about 3 km. More than 240 policemen and around 200 protesters were injured during the clash.
2. Nail-studded lathis allegation: Police rejected claims that nail-studded lathis were used against protesters, saying the petitions relied on selected photographs, incomplete videos and unverified media reports. According to the affidavit, only one such lathi appeared in the available video, and it was allegedly in the hands of a protester.
3. Force used after protesters attacked police: The police said protesters broke barricades, assaulted personnel and took away their protective equipment. It said the use of force became necessary to bring the situation under control and described lathis as a legitimate crowd-control tool.
4. Plainclothes personnel were part of security arrangements: Police said personnel from the Special Branch, Special Cell, Crime Branch and local police were deployed in plain clothes among the crowd. It described this as a routine security measure.
5. Criminal cases against protesters: The police claimed that around 2,873 protesters had cases registered against them involving offences such as murder, attempt to murder, robbery, rape and POCSO-related crimes. It said an SIT would investigate these cases.
6. Facial recognition used to identify serious offenders: Police said facial recognition technology was not used to monitor peaceful protesters or create profiles of every individual present. According to the affidavit, the technology was used to identify people with serious criminal records, followed by field verification. Those involved only in minor cases or traffic violations were not targeted, police said.
CJP protest continued for 49 days
The CJP protest at Jantar Mantar began on June 20 and continued for 49 days. The situation escalated during the July 20 ‘Parliament Chalo’ march, when protesters and police clashed.
Delhi Police alleged that protesters pelted stones and attacked personnel, while CJP accused the police of using lathis and tear gas against protesters. The confrontation left a large number of protesters and security personnel injured and triggered demands for an independent investigation into the police action.
