PETITIONER MANDER PUT IN THE DOCK

NEW DELHI: The apex court on Wednesday pulled up activist Harsh Mander over his purported remarks on the court at an anti-CAA rally. When the solicitor general alleged Mander had said he did not have faith in the top court, CJI SA Bobde remarked: “If this is what you feel about the court, then we have to decide what to do with you.”

NEWDELHI: It was supposed to be a hearing of petitions, including one by activist Harsh Mander filed in the backdrop of Delhi riots seeking registration of FIRs against BJP leaders for alleged hate speech that may have instigated the communal violence.

Instead, the focus of Supreme Court turned to a December speech made by Mander in which he spoke about the court.

According to reports, one of the judges on the bench, justice BR Gavai, first mentioned the speech. This was picked up by government’s second seniormost law officer, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who alleged Mander had made derogatory remarks against the SC at a rally against the CAA at Jamia Milia Islamia.

Mehta, appearing for Delhi Police, said he had a transcript of the speech . According to him, Mander allegedly said he did not have faith in the apex court and that it did not safeguard “humanity, secularism and equality” in the cases relating to the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Ayodhya,

and Kashmir. He added that Mander also said “ultimate justice” could only be received on the streets.

“If this is what you feel about the court, then we have to decide what to do with you”, Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, heading the bench, remarked. The bench even refused to hear Mander’s plea.

It noted that the allegations against Mander were serious and directed Mehta to submit the transcript of the speech made by Mander on affidavit. Mander’s lawyer, advocate Karuna Nundy, denied the allegations. She asked for a copy of the transcript. The court gave Mander the liberty to file his response to the allegations made by the solicitor general.

Mander approached the Supreme Court challenging the February 27 order of the Delhi high court adjourning his plea relating to the Delhi riots for hearing on April 13.

Mander, in his petition before the high court, sought registration of FIRs against BJP leaders Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, Parvesh Verma and Abhay Verma under various provisions of IPC.