The apex court said it is giving one final opportunity to the state to withdraw the proceedings or it will quash it for being in violation of the law.
(iStock photo)
The Supreme Court has pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for trying to recover money for property damage during the 2019 anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests from “identified” protesters.
The apex court said it is giving one final opportunity to the state to withdraw the proceedings or it will quash it for being in violation of the law.
“You have to follow the due process under the law. Please examine this, we are giving one opportunity till February 18,” the court said.
Advertisement
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant said the Uttar Pradesh government has acted like a “complainant, adjudicator and prosecutor” in conducting the proceedings to attach the properties of the accused.
“Withdraw the proceedings or we will quash it for being in violation of the law laid down by this court,” the bench said.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Parwaiz Arif Titu seeking quashing of notices sent to alleged protesters by the district administration for recovering losses caused by damage to public properties during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) agitations in Uttar Pradesh and asked the state to respond to it.
The plea said the notices have been sent in an “arbitrary manner” and cited instances where a notice has been sent to a man who had died six years ago at the age of 94 and also to several others including two people who are aged above 90.
Around 106 FIRs were registered against 833 rioters and 274 recovery notices were issued against them, the counsel for the petitioner said. “Out of the 274 notices, recovery orders were passed in 236 while 38 cases were closed,” said the UP government’s counsel.
Advertisement
