Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Delhi High Court Rejects Pleas for Independent Riots Probe
The Delhi High Court rejected a group of petitions about the 2020 Delhi riots and violence at Jamia Millia Islamia in 2019.
Some people had asked for a new investigation by officers from outside Delhi or by a court-supervised team.
Others wanted police cases filed against politicians over speeches they said were hateful.
Students also sought an inquiry into alleged police violence at Jamia.
One petitioner asked for the National Investigation Agency to investigate alleged funding of protests.
Delhi Police opposed the Jamia pleas and said it had saved CCTV footage.
The court said the petitions were dismissed, with detailed judgments to follow.
The decision does not describe the allegations as proven.
The Delhi High Court dismissed petitions seeking independent or court-monitored investigations into the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.
The dismissed pleas also sought FIRs against politicians over alleged hate speeches and action over alleged police misconduct.
The petitions included requests for an outside-agency SIT, a judicially monitored inquiry and an NIA investigation.
Students’ petitions concerning alleged police atrocities during the December 2019 Jamia Millia Islamia violence were also dismissed.
Delhi Police opposed the Jamia investigation pleas, saying it had collected and preserved CCTV footage from relevant areas.
- Who
- The Delhi High Court, hearing petitions brought by students, Shaikh Mujtaba Farooq, Lawyers’ Voice, Brinda Karat and Ajay Gautam, among others.
- What
- The court dismissed petitions seeking independent investigations, FIRs over alleged hate speeches, and inquiries into alleged police misconduct.
- When
- Monday; the articles do not specify the calendar date.
- Where
- Delhi, including the North-East Delhi riots and Jamia Millia Islamia.
- Why
- The court said the petitions were dismissed for reasons set out in judgments; the detailed judgments were awaited.
Petitioners
Delhi Police and court outcome
Need for an independent investigation
Petitioners
Petitioners sought independent, outside-agency or court-monitored investigations into the riots and alleged police conduct.
Delhi Police and court outcome
Delhi Police opposed the Jamia investigation pleas, citing collected and preserved CCTV footage; the High Court dismissed the batch of petitions.
Alleged police conduct at Jamia
Petitioners
Students alleged that police assaulted them or committed excesses during the December 2019 protests and sought an SIT investigation.
Delhi Police and court outcome
Delhi Police said it had preserved footage from cameras inside and outside the university and in the New Friends Colony area.
Alleged hate speeches
Petitioners
Petitioners sought FIRs or other action against politicians over speeches they alleged were inflammatory or promoted communal enmity.
Delhi Police and court outcome
The petitions seeking such action were dismissed by the High Court; the supplied articles do not provide a response from the named politicians.
- Court
- Delhi High Court
- Bench
- Justices Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain
- Riots at issue
- The 2020 North-East Delhi riots
- Jamia events at issue
- Violence during protests at Jamia Millia Islamia in December 2019
- Investigations sought
- Independent or court-monitored probes, an outside-Delhi SIT, and an NIA investigation
- Petitions’ allegations
- Alleged hate speeches, police misconduct, and alleged funding or sponsorship of protests
- Delhi Police position
- It opposed the Jamia pleas and said it had collected and preserved CCTV footage from the university and nearby areas.
- Judgment status
- The batch was dismissed; detailed judgments were awaited.
