Hate speeches at religious assemblies in 2021: SC seeks status report

The Supreme Court on Friday questioned the Delhi Police for not making any progress in the investigation into cases of hate speeches made at religious assemblies in the national capital in 2021 and sought a status report from the police officer probing the matter. A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said, “there was no palpable progress made in the investigation”. Noting that the FIR was filed five months after the incident and no chargesheet has been filed yet, the bench directed the Investigating Officer (IO) to place on record the steps taken in the investigation related to the matter within a period of two weeks. The incident pertained to December 2021 and the FIR in the case was lodged on May 4, last year when the Hindu Yuva Vahini organised an event under the leadership of Sudarshan News TV editor Suresh Chavhanke in Delhi in December 2021. “What are you doing in terms of the investigation? The incident took place on December 19, 2021. The FIR was registered five months later in May 2021. Why do you require five months to register an FIR? How many arrests have been made,” it asked the Delhi police. The top court then order, “We are informed the case is relating to a serious offence of hate speech. We are told that FIR was filed after five months. No probe till now. We are of the view that it will be necessary for the IO to place on record the steps followed to pursue the investigation into an incident of 2021 December.”