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Lawyers Voice vs. Union of India & Ors. and connected matters

Writ Petition (Criminal) · 2026:DHC:8710-DBDecided 5 Oct 2026New Delhi Bench
W.P.(CRL) 588/2020, W.P.(CRL) 665/2020, W.P.(CRL) 669/2020, W.P.(CRL) 700/2020, W.P.(C) 2296/2020, W.P.(C) 2836/2020, W.P.(C) 3003/2020CNR: DLHC010143172020
Justice Vivek Chaudhary · Justice Manoj Jain

Background

The petition arose from violence in North-East Delhi in February 2020 that followed the enactment of the CAA and the proposed NRC. The petitioner sought a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into hate speeches, and the registration of an FIR against several named political leaders and public figures.

Decision Breakdown

The Court dismissed the entire batch, holding that no exceptional circumstance justified registering further FIRs, setting up an independent investigative mechanism, ordering wholesale further investigation into police conduct, issuing blanket evidence-preservation directions, or granting further compensation or rehabilitation directions. It noted that more than six years had passed since the riots, that compensation had largely been disbursed, and that statutory remedies remained available to victims. The Court made clear this was without prejudice to any individual's right to pursue remedies in law, and dismissed the petitions with no order as to costs.

Lesson Learnt

Long after communal violence, courts are unlikely to order new investigations through writ petitions, but individuals with specific grievances about compensation or rehabilitation can still use statutory remedies.

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