NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has declined to entertain a PIL seeking a fact-finding inquiry into conflicting accounts over the alleged use of lathis by Delhi Police during a Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest in the national capital.A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that PIL jurisdiction was not meant to adjudicate such a dispute, particularly when the alleged conflict was based on media reports and official statements.The petition sought directions to the authorities to consider a representation seeking a fact-finding exercise into the alleged lathi-charge and the differing accounts that followed.During the hearing, the Bench questioned whether there was any actual conflict between the official statements of the Delhi Police and the Central Armed Police Forces. The Court also observed that media reports alone cannot be treated as evidence.The Bench observed, “Is there any conflict between the official statements of the Delhi Police and the Central Police Forces? We will not entertain such petitions.”The plea was filed by a person claiming to belong to the media community, who had approached the High Court after reports and videos circulated in connection with the CJP protest.The issue relates to the CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar in July 2026 over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.During the protest, supporters allegedly attempted to march towards Parliament after gathering at Jantar Mantar. Reports and videos from the spot showed police personnel using force, including lathis and tear gas, to disperse protesters as the situation escalated.At the same time, Delhi Police publicly rejected reports of sporadic violence and detentions at the protest site, saying no such incident had taken place and that the protest was being handled professionally.Subsequent reports carried protesters’ allegations of a lathi-charge and excessive use of force, while police maintained that its action was in response to the situation at the site.The controversy later also reached the High Court in a separate proceeding, where Delhi Police agreed to acknowledge a complaint alleging use of force, including lathis and pellet guns, during the July 20 demonstration.The allegations in the complaint remained subject to consideration and, by themselves, could not establish that the alleged acts had occurred.(With agency inputs)
