Plea in Delhi High Court against reports by extra-judicial bodies 

NEW DELHI: A plea in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought that fact-finding reports by various extra-judicial bodies like the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) on the northeast Delhi riots be declared as having no standing in law.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to the Centre, Delhi Police and various extra-judicial bodies, including DMC, seeking their stand on the petition by a lawyer whose school was burnt down in the riots.

The petitioner has contended that since the charge sheet has been filed in the FIRs lodged in connection with the burning down of the school, the fact-finding reports by extra-judicial bodies would interfere with the due process of the trial. He has sought that the reports be removed from the public domain and be declared as having “no value in law”.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre, told the court that DMC was a statutory body and its report can be called for by the trial court at any time. He said the accused or the victims may rely upon the report.

The DMC report has pointed fingers at BJP leaders for allegedly “inciting” people through speeches during the Assembly elections. These findings were disputed by the BJP which accused the minorities panel of levelling baseless allegations.