Delhi HC dismisses Brinda Karat's plea against BJP leaders for hate speeches made in 2020

Jun 13, 2022

New Delhi [India], June 13 : Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the petition moved by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat challenging a trial court order which had dismissed her plea seeking FIR against Union Minister Anurag Thakur and MP Pravesh Verma for allegedly delivering hate speeches in the year 2020.
The Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh dismissed the petition today.
Karat in October 2021 had challenged the trial court order which was dismissed on the ground that the requisite sanction from the competent authority was not obtained, which was required under the law.
The Trial court in its order had stated, "Prior sanction of competent authority Central government is required as per Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) at the stage of the ordering of registration of FIR as both persons are the sitting Members of Parliament".
CPI-M leaders Brinda Karat and KM Tewari had filed the complaint before the trial court and sought a direction from the Parliament Street Police Station to register an FIR against Anurag Thakur and Pravesh Verma.
Karat before the trial court had sought direction from the Delhi Police to register FIR against Anurag Thakur and Pravesh Verma under Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.