Conducting fair probe, BJP spokesperson, others examined, Delhi Police to SC in hate speech case

New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS) The Delhi Police had told the Supreme Court that it is conducting a fair and unbiased investigation into the alleged hate speech made at a religious assembly in the national capital in 2021, and has examined Delhi BJP spokesperson, Sudarshan News editor-in-chief, Hindu Yuva Vahini members and others.

It added that the forensic science laboratory is scheduled to compare Sudarshan News editor's specimen voice sample with the video from YouTube in March.

Delhi Police investigating officer, in an affidavit, said that Delhi BJP spokesperson Vikram Bidhuri, who was one of the participants has been examined, and Sudarshan News editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke was examined in the case on November 1, 2022 and "he was bound down u/s 41A CrPC".

The affidavit added that the alleged hate speech video has been examined and the transcript has been prepared.

"Forensic Science Laboratory, Delhi has fixed March 17 for recording of specimen voice sample of Suresh Chavanke. Thereafter his specimen voice recording will be compared with the video/audio downloaded from YouTube.....effort is being made to obtain the details of the video of the speech made during the event and uploaded on YouTube, through the process of MLAT," it said.

"That investigation of the case is being conducted fairly and without any bias."

The police filed this affidavit in compliance with January 13 order passed by the apex court directing the investigating officer to place on record the steps which have been taken to pursue the investigation since the incident took place on December 19, 2021. The police have also requested Google Inc to trace the login-logout IP addresses of the video on YouTube from where the alleged video was uploaded.

"That in response to notice u/s 91 Cr.P.C., a reply dated November 18, 2022 was received on email from Google, LLC, Legal Investigations Support, informing that no records from the Google account holders, specified in the request, have been found," added the affidavit.

The police have told the apex court that it has examined Hindu Yuva Vahini Delhi chief Rajiv Kumar, who booked the auditorium, General Secretary Sachin Vasisht, who organised the event, and Ashutosh Sharma who attended the meeting and uploaded the video on YouTube in the channel named as 'Hishant Media', besides several others.

"Some other participants who had attended the event have been identified and are yet to be examined," added the affidavit

"A draft 'final report' has been prepared and was sent to the prosecution branch for scrutiny. However, some points have been raised by the public prosecutor and investigation on those points is being conducted."

On January 13, the Supreme Court had pulled up the Delhi Police for registering FIR on the alleged hate speeches made at Dharam Sansad in Govindpuri in December 2021 after a lapse of five months and not making an arrest or filing a charge sheet till date. It had told the police that there was no palpable progress made in the investigation in the case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud shot a volley of questions at Additional Solicitor General K.M. Nataraj after petitioner Tushar Gandhi said there was an explicit call for violence at the Dharam Sansad and in flagrant violation of the apex court judgment in Tehseen Poonawala directing expeditious action against hate-mongers, police have virtually not taken any action.

Gandhi's counsel submitted that his client is not interested in contempt proceedings against the Delhi Police Commissioner but wants action to protect the secular fabric in the country.

The apex court is scheduled to hear the matter on Monday.