India
oi-Swastika Sruti
The Supreme Court on Thursday has taken very seriously allegations of intimidation of a 14-year-old girl who is part of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest movement, as well as allegations of stone pelting on her home.
The Supreme Court is seriously addressing allegations of intimidation and stone pelting against a 14-year-old CJP protest member, demanding immediate police protection and status reports from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi authorities regarding the minor’s FIR and safety.
The court has emphasized that it would not take any allegation related to a minor lightly. It has also added that no one should be allowed to intimidate the victim or her family from filing cases.
Here are the key observations made by the Supreme Court.
“Child Is a Child”: CJI on Protection of the Minor
One of the strongest observations came from Chief Justice Surya Kant when the issue of the girl’s safety was raised before the court.
The CJI said:
“Child is a child.”
The remark came after concerns were raised about the alleged intimidation of the teenager and the safety of her family.
The court indicated that the girl’s social media activity could not be treated as a reason to ignore her need for protection simply because she was vocal online.
“They Cannot Browbeat the Child”
The Supreme Court is also worried about the claim that people charged with being violent were apparently free and might possibly exert pressure on the girl. The CJI stated that in case of anti-social elements who indulged in violence against a minor girl, if such elements were free and trying to browbeat the child, it would be a serious situation.
The court made it clear that the worry regarding the security of the minor was valid.
SC Wants Immediate Action on Her FIR
The bench did not stop at observations. It sought action from the authorities.
The Supreme Court asked for status reports from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi regarding:
- The FIR filed by the girl
- The investigation into the allegations
- Security arrangements for the girl and her family
- Action taken against those allegedly involved in the assault and intimidation
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was also asked to ensure that appropriate action was taken on the girl’s FIR.
“Some Measures to Protect the Child Can Be Taken”
The CJI also suggested that the allegations concerning the girl could be treated as a separate issue by the local police.
The court said:
“Some measures to protect the child can be taken.”
SC Asks UP Police to Protect the Girl and Her Family
Justice Joymalya Bagchi went a step further and called for immediate action.
He told the Solicitor General that the court wanted immediate action on the FIR and police protection for the victim and her family by the Uttar Pradesh Police.
The judge also said the investigation should be conducted by the Parliament Street Police Station.
Lawyer Claims Videos Show Attack on Girl’s Family
During the hearing, Advocate T Bhalla told the court that a person had allegedly boasted in a video about attacking the girl’s father during the CJP protest. According to the submissions made before the court, the person identified as Swatanra Bharadwaj was subsequently arrested and remanded to custody.
Bhalla also claimed that video evidence was available showing that the girl’s residence had been subjected to stone pelting.
She argued that the matter required urgent intervention because if something happened to the child while the inquiry was still pending, the consequences could not be reversed.
Allegations of Police Involvement Also Raised
The lawyer further alleged that videos showed four policemen accompanying people accused of attacking protesters. She claimed that no action had been taken against those police personnel. The Supreme Court, however, did not make any finding on these allegations during the hearing. The claims will have to be examined by the investigating authorities.
