The Delhi Police Crime Branch registered a fresh FIR to investigate the alleged presence and role of 2,873 persons with serious criminal antecedents at the July 20 “Chalo Sansad” protest, officials said.
The FIR follows the Supreme Court’s September 1 order quashing cases registered against protesters in connection with the demonstrations. The court, however, permitted the Centre and Delhi Police to register a separate FIR concerning the 2,873 individuals identified as having criminal antecedents.
The Crime Branch will verify whether the individuals were actually present at the protest site and examine their criminal records and any links with the student organisations involved in the agitation. Investigators will also ascertain whether any of them were involved in causing bodily harm, damaging public property or instigating or leading violence during the protest, in line with the scope laid down by the Supreme Court.
The July 20 march, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began at Jantar Mantar and was headed towards Parliament. Tensions escalated when protesters attempted to move beyond police barricades in central Delhi, following which security personnel used tear gas and lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.
Videos of the clashes later surfaced on social media, with allegations of excessive use of force by the police. The fresh investigation will focus specifically on the 2,873 identified individuals and their possible involvement in acts of violence or damage during the protest.
Meanwhile, the police have launched a citywide surveillance exercise ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s proposed October 10 protest, tracking around 2,800 persons with alleged criminal antecedents identified through facial recognition systems and keeping tabs on those who arranged buses and other logistics for the outfit’s previous agitation.
Station house officers across the city have been asked to identify such people in their areas and ascertain whether they are moving towards the New Delhi district for the proposed demonstration.
The police have also been directed to check whether bus operators and other logistics providers associated with the CJP’s July protest have been contacted again.
