'Let Police Do Their Work': Uttarakhand HC Disposes Of PIL Over 'Purification' Ceremony At Mallikarjun Kharge Rally Venue

The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday disposed of a public interest litigation concerning an alleged 'shuddhikaran' (purification) ceremony held at Haldwani's Ramlila Ground after a Congress rally addressed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, after the State assured the Court that the police would conduct a fair investigation and preserve relevant electronic evidence.

During the hearing, the Division Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Siddhartha Sah questioned the need for judicial intervention while an FIR had been registered and the matter was under investigation. The bench repeatedly asked the petitioner's counsel to allow the police to do their work.

The PIL concerns an alleged purification ceremony at the venue where Kharge addressed a Congress rally on August 8, 2026. The incident has since triggered a political and legal controversy, with allegations of caste-based discrimination being raised over the ceremony.

'Let FIR be registered…let police do their work'

Explaining the contentions made in the PIL, the Counsel for the PIL petitioner told the Court that a Congress rally had been held at Haldwani on August 8 and that Kharge had attended it. Counsel alleged that a 'shuddhikaran' was subsequently performed at the Ramlila Ground.

The State, represented by the Advocate General, however, informed the Court that FIRs had been lodged by both sides and that the matter was already under investigation. The State also opposed the PIL, alleging that it was politically motivated and based on newspaper reports.

The petitioner's counsel denied any political affiliation and maintained that the PIL merely sought an independent inquiry into the incident.

The Advocate General then informed the Court that a Zero FIR had been lodged outside Uttarakhand and the same was awaited for transfer to the State for investigation.

The petitioner's counsel argued that the FIR cited by the State was unrelated to the alleged purification ceremony and was instead against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

The dispute over the FIR became significant because the petitioner sought an inquiry into the alleged ceremony, while the State maintained that the police were already addressing complaints arising from the controversy.

The petitioner's counsel argued that the FIR being referred to by the State concerned a different issue and therefore could not substitute an investigation into the alleged ceremony.

The Advocate General also submitted that the PIL was based merely on newspaper cuttings and that newspaper reports alone could not establish facts. It was also said that an investigation could not be completed overnight and that it would take time.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that almost a month had already passed and expressed concern that CCTV footage and other evidence could be lost.

Court records assurance of a fair probe

The Court recorded the assurance given on behalf of the Advocate General that the police would investigate the matter fairly. The Court agreed with the petitioner that preservation of CCTV material was relevant to the investigation and asked the State to ensure that the electronic evidence was preserved.

The Court emphasised that the investigation was the appropriate mechanism at this stage.

The Advocate General also submitted: "Police kaam kar rahi hai, unko investigation me jo doshi paya jayega usko punish kiya jayega. Ye to normal cheez hai."

The PIL was accordingly disposed of after the State’s assurance regarding a fair investigation and preservation of the relevant electronic evidence.

Case Title: DR BAIJ NATH v STATE OF UTTARAKHAND AND OTHERS