SC Takes Serious View of Harassment of Minor CJP Protester, Seeks Govt Reports

The Supreme Court on Thursday took serious note of allegations that a 14-year-old girl who participated in the July Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests was being harassed and intimidated, warning that nobody could be allowed to browbeat a victim or her family from pursuing criminal proceedings.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure action on the minor's FIR and sought reports from the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments on the matter.

“Such matters cannot be taken lightly. Nobody should be protected if violence against a child is involved,” the bench observed, stressing that those accused of violence could not be permitted to roam free and intimidate the child or her family.

The counsel appearing for the minor told the court that she was allegedly harassed and that her residence was vandalised after she registered an FIR against Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj, who had claimed in a video that he attacked her father during the CJP protest.

The lawyer alleged that instead of prosecuting people accompanying the accused, who were purportedly caught on camera, an FIR had been registered against the child. The counsel also said video evidence showing stone pelting at the girl's residence could be placed before the court.

The lawyer argued that while a high-powered committee could take time to examine the allegations, any harm to the child in the interim could not later be reversed.

“If there are anti-social elements who indulged in violence against a child, and they are roaming free and trying to browbeat the child, that may be a serious thing,” the CJI said.

Earlier, on September 5, Delhi Police added provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and criminal intimidation to the FIR against Bhardwaj over the alleged assault on the minor's father.

Bhardwaj was detained in Bulandshahr after the CJP protested outside the Parliament Street police station demanding his arrest.