NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice on an application filed by a pregnant journalist seeking registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and others over an alleged incident of assault during the Opposition’s march to the Court premises on October 12.
The application has been moved by journalist Richa Parashar in a pending petition concerning political demonstrations within court complexes. She has alleged that she was forcibly pushed during the gathering organised by Opposition leaders who had assembled at the Supreme Court to file a challenge to the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia mentioned the application before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, following which the Court issued notice to the respondents.
Parashar has alleged that she was 11 weeks and three days pregnant when the incident occurred. According to her application, she was pushed with such force that she lost her balance and fell, sustaining injuries to her hands. She has claimed that the incident occurred in the presence of security personnel, journalists and other people at the entrance to the Court premises.
The journalist has further alleged that her mobile phone was damaged and the microphone receiver attached to her clothing was dislodged during the fall. She claims to have subsequently experienced lower abdominal pain and was taken to the casualty department of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital at around 9 pm. She was discharged with medication and advised to undergo further scans and screening, according to the plea.
The application states that the journalist repeatedly appealed to those around her not to push her, but her requests were allegedly drowned out by slogans raised by Congress supporters. She has also alleged that no one accompanying Gandhi stopped to assist her after the incident, forcing her to seek help while seated on a pavement.
Parashar has contended that the incident caused her considerable physical and psychological distress, particularly because of concerns about the well-being of her unborn child. She has also alleged that subsequent public statements by Congress leaders questioning her account subjected her to further humiliation and online abuse.
The journalist has claimed that she approached the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, on October 17, seeking registration of an FIR against Gandhi and other persons allegedly involved in the incident. However, she has alleged that no FIR has been registered on the basis of her complaint.
The application seeks directions for immediate registration of an FIR under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and for the police to submit a status report before the Supreme Court.
It also seeks preservation of CCTV footage from the Court premises, access-control logs, entry passes, visitor records and video recordings made by journalists covering the incident. The applicant has further sought compensation for the alleged physical injuries and mental trauma, an unconditional apology from Gandhi and the Congress, and appropriate measures to protect her and her family from threats or intimidation.
Additionally, the plea seeks action against those allegedly responsible for the incident within the Supreme Court premises, including the initiation of contempt proceedings if warranted.
The application has been filed in, a pending matter in which advocates have sought judicial directions to regulate political demonstrations and processions within and around court complexes.
The October 12 incident occurred when Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders marched towards the Supreme Court to pursue their challenge to the ECI’s SIR exercise. The gathering has since triggered separate proceedings concerning the conduct of political leaders within judicial premises and the preservation of relevant security footage.
The allegations against Gandhi and others remain allegations raised in the application and have not been established by a judicial finding.
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