CPIL, Common Cause spearheading malicious campaigns, consistently filing petitions against me: Rakesh Asthana to Delhi High Court

Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana has told the Delhi High Court that NGOs Common Cause and Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) are spearheading a malicious campaign against him and consistently filing petitions against him in courts (Sadre Alam v. Union of India)..In an affidavit filed before the High Court, Asthana said that individuals running the two NGOs have in the recent past for some oblique and ostensible undisclosed reason started barrage of selective actions against him."I state and submit that as a part of this selective campaign against me, proceedings are being consistently filed against me by these two organisations, while outside court the people having control of the said organisation spearhead a malicious campaign against me," the affidavit said.This has been regularly happening since he was appointed as Special Director in Central Bureau of Investigation, the affidavit added.The affidavit also highlighted different PILs filed by the two NGOs against Asthana since 2017. The affidavit was filed in an public interest litigation petition filed by one Sadre Alam challenging an order passed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs granting Asthana deputation, extension of service and appointing him as Delhi’s Commissioner of Police just four days before he was slated to retire.NGO CPIL is an intervenor in the matter. CPIL had initially filed a similar plea before the Supreme Court. Subsequently, a petition was filed in the Delhi High Court by Sadre Alam, challenging Asthana's appointment on similar grounds.CPIL had submitted before the top court that Alam's plea before the High Court is a proxy plea to ensure that the matter is given a burial. The apex court had, however, ordered the Delhi High Court to decide within two weeks the plea filed by Alam. It had also granted liberty to CPIL to intervene in Alam's plea.Asthana in his affidavit said that there is a sustained social media campaign against him which corroborates his apprehensions that the plea is an outcome of some vendetta against him.Asthana in his affidavit, however, refused to state anything on the merits of the case instead leaving it to the Central government to answer. .The Central govermment also justified Asthana's appointment, stating that Delhi being the capital of the country has been witnessing diverse and extremely challenging situations of law and order and policing which not only has implications on the national security but also cross-border.“As such, a compelling need was felt by the Central Government to appoint a person as a head of the police force of Delhi, who had diverse and vast experience of heading a large police force in a large State having diverse political as well as public order problem/experience of working and supervising Central Investigating Agency(s) as well as para-military forces,” the affidavit stated.In order to achieve the purpose, the Centre said, a search was done in AGMUT cadre, which is the IPS cadre for Delhi.However, it pointed out that since AGMUT cadre comprises only Union the Territory and small north-eastern states, it was felt that requisite experience of working and supervising the central investigating agency/para-military force and police force of a large State having diverse political and law and order problem was lacking in the present pool of available officers.Therefore, the Central Government is stated to have taken a decision “in public interest” on an officer who had experience in all the fields to supervise Delhi Police force and to provide effective policing on the recent law and order situation which arose in the National Capital Territory of Delhi."No fault can be found in his appointment which has been done in accordance with and after scrupulously following all the applicable rules and regulations,” it added..Delhi High Court issues notice on plea challenging Rakesh Asthana appointment as SG Mehta takes exception to "professional PIL petitioners"