Probe Kapil Mishra’s alleged role in 2020 riots, orders Delhi court

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday ordered the Delhi Police to conduct further investigation into state law minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra’s alleged involvement in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, observing that a cognisable offence has been made out in the complaint filed by a Yamuna Vihar resident.

“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 at the Rouse Avenue court said on Tuesday.

The order was passed on an application filed by Yamuna Vihar resident Mohammad Ilyas, in August 2024, seeking registration of a first information report (FIR) against Kapil Mishra and five others including three BJP leaders -- Mustafabad MLA Mohan Singh Bisht and former MLAs Jagdish Pradhan and Satpal Sansad.

Ilyas, represented by advocate Mehmood Pracha, alleged that he saw Mishra and his associates blocking a road in Kardampuri and destroying street vendors’ carts on February 23, 2020. He further claimed that the then deputy commissioner of police (northeast) and other Delhi Police officers stood next to Mishra, warning protestors to vacate the area or face consequences.

The complainant detailed three separate incidents over the following three days, during which he allegedly saw the Dayalpur SHO, along with Pradhan, Bisht and Sansad, vandalising mosques across northeast Delhi.

In September 2024, the court sought Delhi Police’s response to the allegations against Mishra and the others.

The Delhi police opposed the plea for a FIR against the BJP leader, contending that its investigation had revealed a conspiracy to falsely implicate Mishra, and that a plan was devised to portray him as leading a mob that incited the violence. Special public prosecutor Amit Prasad, representing the Delhi Police special cell, had earlier told the court that Mishra’s role had already been investigated in connection with the larger conspiracy behind the riots. This case, which includes charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, names former JNU student leader Umar Khalid and other student activists.

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