Delhi violence: HC reserves order on Devangana Kalita's plea against 'selective leaks'
Jul 16, 2020
New Delhi [India], July 16 : The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its order on a petition of Pinjra Tod member Devangana Kalita, who is being probed for her alleged involvement in the northeast Delhi violence, seeking to prevent leaks of allegations against her to the media.
A bench of Justice Vibhu Bakhru reserved the order after hearing the submission of the counsel of Kalita and Delhi Police. The Delhi Police opposed the plea.
The Delhi High Court had earlier extended its interim order restraining Delhi Police from issuing any statements or circulating information regarding allegations and evidence collected against Kalita to any person including the media or social media.
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by Kalita seeking to stop all leaks of allegations against her to the media claiming that the Delhi Police leaked information to the media in a bid to try and establish her guilt before the trial even begins.
In her plea, she said that the leaks to the media can cause severe undesirable effects during the pendency of the case. She has sought to restrain and prevent the Delhi Police from further selective leaking information related to the case against her.
She said that the Delhi Police has, through a media note and selective leaks, on contents of charge-sheets had caused immense damage to the reputation and fundamental right to a fair trial and a presumption of innocence.
Kalita was arrested in connection with a case related to a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the Jafrabad area of the national capital during the violence in northeast Delhi but was later granted bail.
However, soon after getting bail in the protest case, she was arrested in another case related to the northeast Delhi violence being probed by the Delhi Police and is currently undergoing judicial custody in the matter.
