A Delhi court on Wednesday stayed, until April 21, the magisterial court’s order for further investigation into the alleged role of Law Minister Kapil Mishra in the 2020 Delhi riots, providing temporary relief to the BJP leader.
The decision came after Mishra challenged the lower court’s order, which was based on a complaint by Mohammad Ilyas, who had alleged that Mishra, along with his associates and with police complicity, incited violence in Kardampuri on February 23, 2020. The incident was linked to the unrest that erupted following the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
Special Judge Kaveri Baweja stayed the probe order and issued a notice to the complainant, directing him to respond by April 21. The judge also asked for the records from the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate.
Senior advocate P. K. Dubey, representing Mishra, argued that the magisterial order overstepped the jurisdiction of the Special Court designated for such matters. He stressed that as a public figure, Mishra was under constant reputational threat due to the ongoing legal shadow.
Delhi Police, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, supported Mishra’s position, stating that no evidence linked him to the riots and that the allegations were part of a larger attempt to falsely implicate him. The police maintained that Mishra’s role had already been examined in the broader conspiracy case, with no culpability found.
The magistrate had previously ruled that a cognizable offence appeared to exist and had called for further investigation. However, with the latest stay, the legal proceedings against Mishra will remain paused until the next hearing.
