Delhi High Court agrees to hear PIL seeking NIA probe into Cockroach Janta Party protests

The Delhi High Court on Thursday agreed to hear tomorrow a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking a probe by National Investigation Agency (NIA) into Cockroach Janta Party protest and its march to parliament on July 20.

The matter was mentioned for urgent hearing before a Bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia.

Advocate Barun Kumar Sinha appeared for the petitioner and sought urgent listing of the matter.

"This pertains to the so-called student agitation, which has made entire Delhi hostage. We want this listed tomorrow. The roads have been blocked, and citizens of Delhi are suffering," the counsel told the Court.

The Court then agreed to hear the matter on Friday, July 24.

The petition, filed by Satish Kumar Aggarwal, a former Vice-President of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, alleges the agitation was politically driven and backed by foreign elements with the objective of destabilising the country. It also claims that "external funding" played a role in the agitation.

Aggarwal has sought directions to the NIA or another specialised agency to investigate the protest, take over all FIRs registered by Delhi Police in connection with the incident, and identify and prosecute those allegedly responsible for violence, vandalism and obstruction of emergency services.

The plea contends that the demonstration was not a genuine student movement but part of a wider conspiracy.

"It is pertinent to mention that, the so-called protest is not, in substance, a genuine protest by students or for student-related concerns. Rather, it appears to be a part of a larger conspiracy allegedly orchestrated by anti-national and foreign elements with the purported intention of destabilizing the country by exploiting financial influence and monetary resources," states the petition.

The plea adds that the July 20 protest witnessed obstruction of public movement, damage to public and private property, attacks on journalists, injuries to police personnel and attempts to proceed towards Parliament.

It also refers to reports about activist Sonam Wangchuk's alleged association with certain foreign organisations, contending it requires investigation by competent authorities.

"The said so-called protest, ostensibly organized on the pretext of demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister, has witnessed the gathering and participation of individuals and elements whose activities and statements appear to be motivated by an anti-India agenda,” the plea claims.