CJP protest: ‘Don't waste our time,’ says CJI Surya Kant on plea against police action — ‘not interested in videos’

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant asked a counsel not to waste the court's time after the latter said there were videos showing police atrocities against protesters who were participating in the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) march on 20 July.

“Don't waste our time, and don't waste your time,” the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant told the lawyer on Wednesday, according to Live Law.

The CJI's statement came as the court refused to allow urgent listing of a petition raising the issue of the Delhi police attack on student protesters in the national capital during the protests called by the CJP, seeking the resignation of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam paper leaks.

‘We are not interested in videos’

According to Live Law, the lawyer said that the students are raising important issues such as proper conduct of the NEET exam and reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA).

Cutting the lawyer short, the CJI said, “Thank you very much.”

The lawyer then claimed, “I have the videos as well regarding police brutality... If it can be listed tomorrow [Thursday]... students are there.”

He said that students had allegedly been subjected to police brutality during the protest and said the petition contained three prayers.

When the lawyer said there were videos showing police excesses, CJI Kant declined the request and made it clear that the bench was not inclined to examine the video footage at the mentioning stage.

“We are not interested in videos, we don't have time to watch... We don't want to watch videos,” CJI Surya Kant was quoted by PTI as saying.

When the counsel reiterated that students had been beaten up and again referred to the video evidence, the CJI said, as per the report, “Don't waste our time. We don't want to watch any videos.”

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court had refused to urgently hear a similar matter, saying, “Don't drag the court into this.”

What was the case?

The matter was mentioned before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant by Advocate Narendra Mishra, who had written to the CJI seeking the Court's intervention into the alleged lathi-charge, use of tear gas, and other police actions against student protesters, PTI news agency reported.

The letter petition sought the Court's suo motu cognisance of the alleged police action, an independent judicial inquiry, the registration of FIRs against erring officials, and directions to preserve electronic evidence, including videos submitted alongside the petition.

The plea also highlighted the involvement of individuals in civilian clothing who were allegedly implicated in the violence, seeking a thorough investigation into their role. Additionally, the petition sought financial compensation for individuals who sustained injuries as a result of unlawful or excessive use of force.

(With inputs from PTI)