Delhi Violence: Police File Affidavit in SC, Seek Contempt Action Against Harsh Mander

New Delhi: Delhi Police Wednesday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court against activist Harsh Mander and sought initiation of contempt proceedings against him for his alleged "derogatory remarks" making insinuations against the apex court and its judges.

The affidavit was filed after the Centre's allegation before a bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde that Mander, who has sought lodging of FIRs against some BJP leaders for their alleged hate speeches which purportedly led to recent violence in Delhi, himself made certain objectionable remarks against the top court, "majesty of law", the government and Parliament.

"It is submitted that I have come across a video clip showing Harsh Mander delivering a speech which is not only instigating the violence but is also seriously contemptuous as it makes derogatory remarks against the Supreme Court of India to a huge gathering of people," said the six-page affidavit filed by Rajesh Deo, Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Police, Legal cell.

"This clip is freely available on social media. Harsh Mander is known for taking contemptuous stand and bringing the judiciary, as an institution and individual judges to disrepute," it further said, and annexed the detailed order of the apex court passed earlier against Mander on his PIL related to detention of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam.

The apex court, in May 2019, had come down heavily on Mander for seeking recusal of the then CJI from hearing his PIL saying that it would not allow anybody to "browbeat" and "damage the institution".

The then CJI Ranjan Gogoi had struck off Mander's name as the petitioner and had rather appointed his lawyer Prashant Bhushan as the amicus curiae in the case.

In its affidavit, the Delhi Police said that the petition filed by Mander "may kindly be dismissed with exemplary cost and proceedings for contempt of court be initiated against him".

The affidavit was filed in pursuance to the order passed earlier in the day by the bench which has kept to itself the plea filed by Mander while transferring other petition related to the violence to the Delhi High Court.

The apex court had said that the affidavit along with transcripts of the alleged hate speech has to be served to Mander's counsel who had denied that the activist made any such statement.