NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed grave concern over claims that a 14-year-old girl who took part in the July Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests was being harassed, asserting that no one could be allowed to intimidate a victim or her relatives for initiating criminal action.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure that the FIR filed by the girl was acted upon, while seeking reports from the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh administrations.
Counsel Flags FIR Against Minor
The lawyer appearing for the teenager told the court she had been subjected to harassment and her home had been damaged after she lodged the FIR against an individual who, in a video, stated he had assaulted her father during the CJP protest.
Without naming anyone, the counsel said instead of prosecuting those who were accompanying the accused and were allegedly caught on camera, an FIR has been registered against the child, as reported by The New Indian Express.
This is also contrary to the Supreme Court’s earlier order, the lawyer said, adding that video can be placed on record showing that the girl’s residence had been subjected to stone pelting.
“The high-powered committee will take time, but if something happens to the child in the meantime, that cannot subsequently be reversed or repaired through the committee,” the counsel submitted.
Responding to the submission, the CJI said, “If there are anti-social elements who indulged in violence against child, and they are roaming free, and are trying to browbeat the child, that may be a serious thing.”
Influencer Faces Additional Charges
Delhi Police had on September 5 invoked sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation in the FIR against Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj in connection with the alleged assault on the minor activist’s father during the CJP-led demonstrations.
Bhardwaj was picked up from Bulandshahr after CJP members demonstrated outside the Parliament Street police station, pressing for his arrest in the assault case.
The move came amid widespread anger over an interview in which Bhardwaj claimed he had “cracked the skull” of the minor activist’s father during the July 20 protest and avoided arrest because of his political links.