"Can't Browbeat Child": Top Court On 'Intimidation' Of Protester By Influencer
"Can't Browbeat Child": Top Court On 'Intimidation' Of Protester By Influencer
M.U.H
10/09/202612
New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday took serious view of allegations of harassment of a minor girl who participated in the Cockroach Janta Party protests in July. The court said nobody can be permitted to browbeat a victim or her family for pursuing criminal proceedings.
The counsel appearing for the 14-year-old girl told the court that she was harassed and her house was vandalised after she registered the FIR against right-wing influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj who claimed in a video that he had attacked her father during the CJP's protest.
"There cannot be any second opinion about it. Such matters cannot be taken lightly. Nobody should be protected. If violence against a child is involved and persons are roaming free and trying to browbeat the child or the family so that they do not pursue the criminal proceedings, then it's a serious matter," the CJI led bench observed.
Earlier, Delhi Police on September 5 had added provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation to the FIR against Swatantra Bhardwaj over the alleged assault on the minor activist's father during the CJP-led protests.
Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr after the CJP staged a protest outside the Parliament Street police station demanding his arrest over the alleged assault.
The action followed outrage over an interview in which Bhardwaj claimed he had "cracked the skull" of the minor activist's father during the July 20 protest and escaped arrest because of his political connections.
Without referring to any names, the lawyer said instead of prosecuting those who were accompanying the accused and were allegedly caught on camera, an FIR has been registered against the child.
This is also contrary to the Supreme Court's earlier order, the lawyer said, adding that video can be placed on record showing that the girl's residence had been subjected to stone pelting.
"The high-powered committee will take time, but if something happens to the child in the meantime, that cannot subsequently be reversed or repaired through the committee," the counsel submitted.
Responding to the submission, the CJI said, "If there are anti-social elements who indulged in violence against child, and they are roaming free, and are trying to browbeat the child, that may be a serious thing."
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure action on the girl's FIR and sought report from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments on the issue.
