Trouble for Kapil Mishra? Court orders FIR against BJP minister to probe role in 2020 Delhi riots

2020 Delhi Riots: A Delhi court on Tuesday, April 1, ordered the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Delhi cabinet minister Kapil Mishra to ‘further’ investigate his role in the 2020 Delhi riots. “Mishra was in the area at the time of the alleged offence,” the Delhi court noted and ordered Delhi police to conduct further investigation against the BJP leader Kapil Mishra.

Additional chief judicial magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia found a “prime facie” cognisable offence, requiring a probe.

“Let further investigation be initiated with respect to the first incident since a cognisable offence has been disclosed by the complainant. Against Mr Kapil Mishra we are directing further investigation since we are of the prima facie view that there is a cognisable offence. Kapil Mishra was seen in the area,” additional chief judicial magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia said while pronouncing the verdict.

The Delhi Court judge was hearing arguments on a plea filed by a Yamuna Vihar resident, Mohammad Ilyas, seeking registration of the FIR, which was opposed by Delhi Police, claiming Mishra had no role in the 2020 Delhi riots.

The 2020 Delhi Riots

The 2020 Delhi riots occurred between February 24 and 26, 2020, in Northeast Delhi, resulting in 53 deaths and over 500 injuries. The violence was linked to protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

What is Kapil Mishra Accused of In Delhi Riots?

Delhi Cabinet minister and BJP leader Kapil Mishra is accused of inciting violence through a speech at Maujpur Chowk on February 23, 2020, where he threatened to take matters into his own hands if the police did not clear anti-CAA protest sites within three days.

Delhi court noted Kapil Mishra's presence in the area during the riotsas a cognisable offence.

The petitioner, Mohammad Ilyas, alleged that on February 23, 2020, he witnessed Kapil Mishra and his associates blocking a road and destroying street vendors' carts.

Ilyas further claimed that the then deputy commissioner of police (northeast) and other cops stood next to BJP leader Kapil Mishra, warning protestors to vacate the area or face consequences.

Delhi Police Claims Petition Attempt to ‘Frame’ Kapil Mishra

On Tuesday, the Delhi Court dealt with a complaint filed by Mohammad Ilyas. The plea was opposed by the Delhi Police, saying that there was a well-planned conspiracy to ‘frame’ BJP leader and Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra in the 2020 Delhi riots. The Delhi Police had submitted that the BJP leader was being framed in the matter and had no role to play in the 2020 riots.

The prosecution referred to WhatsApp chats from groups like the Delhi Protest Support Group (DPSG) and argued that alleged conspirators were running a social media campaign using #ArrestKapilMishra to portray a narrative against him.

The Delhi police had submitted that Kapil Mishra’s role in the Delhi riots had been thoroughly investigated, with no incriminating evidence found, and claimed there was a conspiracy to falsely implicate him as leading the violence.

In October 2024, the Delhi Police had submitted that the riots were the result of a conspiracy hatched to incite and cause violence in Muslim majority areas close to Mosques or Mazars and main roads so as to escalate “Protests” to “Chakkajaam” once critical mass is generated and at appropriate time.