BREAKING: CJI Surya Kant Says No Plea Filed Before Supreme Court On CJP Protests, Calls Out "False Reports On Listing Refusal"

The Chief Justice of India Surya Kant today clarified that he did not refuse to hear a petition pertaining to police action on CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar.

"Some fellow mentioned it. Media has falsely reported that I refused to list the matter. It was only a representation and people started recklessly reporting it. I checked with registry and not a paper has been filed..", CJI said today in court.

Notably, yesterday while refusing to take up the issue, CJI had said, "Don't waste our time". When the lawyer had pointed out that videos showing police excesses existed, the CJI said, "We are not interested in videos. We don't have time to watch videos."

When the lawyer had stated that the students are raising important issues such as proper conduct of the NEET exam, and reforms in the National Testing Agency the CJI responded saying, "Thank you very much."

Notably, the Delhi High Court also refused to urgently hear a similar matter saying, "Don't drag the Court into this."

In a similar development, a letter petition has also been addressed to the Chief Justice of India seeking the Supreme Court's suo motu intervention into the alleged police action against CJP protesters during demonstrations held in the national capital on July 20. The representation seeks an independent judicial inquiry, immediate preservation of evidence, medical protection for the injured, and accountability for officials allegedly responsible for the use of excessive force.

Filed by Advocate Hitendra D. Gandhi, the representation alleges that protesters suffered serious head, facial and bodily injuries during the police action. It further claims that women and girls were assaulted and manhandled, including by male police personnel, and alleges violations of the safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal governing arrests and detentions.

The petitioner contends that the incident requires urgent judicial intervention because crucial electronic and medical evidence may be lost if not preserved immediately. It seeks directions for preservation of CCTV footage, body camera recordings, police communication logs, hospital records and other material relating to the events of July 20.

According to the representation, protesters had gathered in Delhi to raise concerns over examination failures, alleged paper leaks, unemployment and accountability in public institutions. It alleges that instead of facilitating a peaceful assembly, authorities resorted to baton charges, tear gas and widespread detentions at multiple locations across central Delhi, including Parliament Street, Jantar Mantar, Mandi House, Janpath and Patel Chowk.

The representation further alleges that over 170 injured persons were brought to central government hospitals, with several reportedly sustaining head and facial injuries. It calls for the constitution of an independent medical board to examine those with serious injuries, preserve medical records and supervise treatment of critically injured patients.

In May this year, the Chief Justice of India had told a petitioner not to take the 'Cockroach Janata Party' trend so seriously. After a lawyer orally mentioned a petition concerning the issue for urgent listing, the CJI Surya Kant said he would take up the issue in due course.