Delhi Privileges Committee Dissatisfied with Punjab Officials' FIR Explanations
The Delhi Legislative Assembly's committee of privileges has declared the responses from three senior Punjab officials as unsatisfactory in connection with a First Information Report (FIR) involving a purported video clip of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi. The officials—Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Alok Shekhar, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, and Jalandhar Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur—appeared before the committee individually on Friday afternoon following summons.
Questioning Session and Unsatisfactory Replies
During a three-hour session starting at 2 PM, the committee interrogated the officers about the registration of the January 7 FIR. This FIR pertained to the uploading and circulation of a "doctored video" in which Atishi allegedly uttered derogatory words against Sikh Gurus during a Delhi assembly session. Committee Chairman Parduymn Singh Rajput, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Dwarka, stated that the officials were asked to provide comprehensive reports from the social media team and forensic laboratory, along with a copy of the original complaint. However, they only submitted a copy of the FIR itself.
"Their replies were not satisfactory. The committee may summon them again, and the next course of action will be decided after a meeting to be held after Holi," Rajput emphasized. He dismissed the Punjab government's claims that no breach of privilege occurred because the video was not "House property." Rajput argued that the matter directly relates to the Delhi Vidhan Sabha and its proceedings, thus implicating the privileges of the House.
Allegations of Political Pressure and Rapid FIR Registration
Rajput further alleged that the Punjab Police acted under political pressure from the state government. He pointed out that the FIR was registered merely 19 minutes after receiving the complaint, suggesting that the police could have first gathered facts or requested the removal of the video from the portal instead of acting hastily. This rapid response, according to Rajput, indicates undue influence rather than procedural diligence.
The committee had initially summoned the three officers to appear in person on February 21 after they failed to furnish comments by the February 20 deadline. On February 24, the Punjab home department sought an exemption for the officers, citing administrative delays as the reason for the missed deadline. However, the committee denied this exemption and directed the officers to comply and appear in person, leading to Friday's session.
Background of the FIR and Legal Opinions
The FIR was registered at Jalandhar Police's Cyber Crime Police Station on January 7 against unidentified persons. Earlier that day, BJP leader and Delhi minister Kapil Mishra alleged that Atishi insulted a Sikh Guru and posted a clip on X (formerly Twitter) of Atishi's alleged speech during a Delhi assembly debate on January 6, which featured Hindi subtitles.
In its formal reply, the Punjab home department referenced an opinion from the state advocate general (AG), arguing that the proceedings should be "reconsidered and the matter closed." The AG contended that no breach of privilege occurred, stating: "A video clip that is cropped, selectively extracted, or superimposed with captions and circulated independently on social media without authorization of the House cannot be equated with the official record of the House." The opinion further asserted that a state legislature's secretariat lacks the authority to demand documents related to an FIR investigation registered in another state for an issue unconnected to official House proceedings.
This ongoing dispute highlights the tensions between state jurisdictions and legislative privileges, with the committee maintaining its stance on the seriousness of the matter. The potential re-summons after Holi underscores the committee's determination to seek satisfactory explanations and uphold the integrity of the Delhi assembly's proceedings.
