The Delhi High Court today asked the city police to ensure the safety of AAP MLA Pankaj Pushkar, on his complaint that he and his family had been threatened on WhatsApp that they would be killed.
Justice Vinod Goel directed the Station House Officer (SHO), Timarpur Police Station, to assess the level of threat to the MLA and provide him with security.
"The SHO of the police station concerned is also directed to take adequate measures, so that the life and limb of the person is not affected in any manner," the court said.
It also issued notice to the Delhi Police and asked it to file a status report on the MLA's plea, seeking an FIR under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against a person for sending the threat messages on WhatsApp.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan told the court that the Timarpur MLA was added to a WhatsApp group, 'Hindu Paksh', by one Aakash Bhatia on July 9.
"The accused started sending texts and voice clips of offensive and threatening nature in the WhatsApp group. The accused also pasted posters containing allegations and threatening content," he said, adding that Pushkar should be given police protection immediately.
Bhushan told the court the messages not only gave death threats to the petitioner, but also targeted his wife and minor daughter.
He said the accused intended to stop the AAP MLA from working for the betterment and development of his constituency.
Pushkar, who had launched an agitation against the AAP government over the lack of facilities in the unauthorised colonies, has sought a direction to hand over the probe into the matter to an independent agency such as the CBI.
The police, meanwhile, told the court that they had already lodged an FIR under the relevant sections of the IPC after they received the complaint from the AAP MLA.
Bhushan, who was also assisted by advocate Shakti Vardhan Sharma, objected, saying the police had lodged the case only for offences which were non-cognisable and bailable.
"These messages are racial, derogatory and highly abusive in their contents, attracting various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act. There is a grave threat and danger to the petitioner's life," he submitted.
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