Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday criticised the Delhi Police over the delay in registering an FIR in connection with the alleged pellet-gun injuries suffered by 19-year-old student Sahil Lochav during a protest in New Delhi. Chidambaram said it took 30 days and a seven-hour sit-in protest by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi before the complaint was formally registered. The FIR was filed on Friday after Gandhi staged a dharna at the Parliament Street police station, demanding action on Lochav's complaint.
Chidambaram said the delay was contrary to the Supreme Court's position that an FIR should be registered promptly when a complaint discloses a cognisable offence. In a post on X, he congratulated Lochav for pursuing the matter and Rahul Gandhi for using the protest to press for registration of the case. The Congress leader's remarks were directed at the police response and did not represent an independent judicial finding that the allegations in the complaint had been established.
What Happened at Protest
The case relates to a July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, during which Lochav sustained injuries that he has attributed to pellet-gun firing. He was subsequently treated at AIIMS and has continued to face problems with his vision, according to reports. The alleged use of pellet guns during the protest has become a political issue, with the Congress demanding accountability and action against those responsible. Reports have also noted that the government has not independently confirmed the use of pellet guns in the incident.
Rahul Gandhi's intervention brought the issue back into focus on Friday when he, along with other Congress leaders and Lochav, held a prolonged protest outside the Parliament Street police station. Gandhi demanded that police register the complaint and investigate the circumstances surrounding the injuries. The sit-in ended after the Delhi Police registered the FIR. The case was registered under Sections 118 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, according to reports.
FIR Registration and Next Step
The registration of an FIR marks the beginning of a formal criminal investigation; it does not by itself establish the allegations made in the complaint. Police will now be expected to investigate the circumstances of the July 20 incident, examine the evidence and determine the sequence of events and responsibility, if any. The development has nevertheless become a point of political confrontation between the Congress and the Delhi Police over the handling of complaints arising from protests.
Chidambaram's criticism centres on the time taken to register the case and the circumstances in which it was eventually filed. For the Congress, the episode has also been presented as an issue of police accountability and the right of an injured protester to have his complaint formally investigated. The police investigation will determine what happened during the protest and whether the allegations made in the complaint are supported by evidence.
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