85 FIRS in Matters of Anti- CAA Protests and Delhi Riots to be Settled by SG Tushar Mehta And 5 Others As Special Prosecutors Vide Delhi Govt. Approval

 The Delhi Government has appointed six Special Public Prosecutors to conduct court proceedings arising out of 85 FIRs registered in relation to protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 and the North East Delhi Riots in the last week of February on the orders of Lieutenant-General of Delhi.

The Special Prosecutors Include:

Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General.

Aman Lekhi, Additional Solicitor General.

Chetan Sharma, Addl. Solicitor General.

S V Raju,  Addl.Solicitor General.

Amit Mahajan, Advocate.

Rajat Nair, Advocate.

On 30th July, Home Department of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi issued the notification in the same regard.

With the approval of Lieutenant General of Delhi, the notification was signed by L K Gautam, Deputy Secretary of Home Department of Delhi Government.

In cases related to Delhi riots, the appointment of Special Prosecutors has been a bone of contention between the Delhi Government and the Delhi-LG. As the Delhi Police is reporting to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the situation became peculiar.

The appearance of Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta, in a case in Delhi High Court in February seeking investigation into Delhi riots had created a controversy, after Rahul Mehra, Standing Counsel of Delhi Government, objected to it by saying that appointment of Prosecutors was the sole preserve of Delhi Government.  The ground that LG can appoint Prosecutors only on the aid and advice of the Delhi Government was objected and raised.

ALSO READ- Appointment of an Inquiry Commission for the Delhi riots requested by Former IAS/IPS Officers in Letter to the President

The Lieutenant General of Delhi appointed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta by passing an order to represent Delhi Police in the case filed by Harsh Mander on February 27.

The appointment of Solicitor General, ASG Maninder Acharya, ASG Aman Lekhi, Standing Counsel (UOI) Amit Mahajan, and Advocate Rajat Nair, as Special Prosecutors in a case related to Delhi riots (Aqil Hussain vs State of NCT of Delhi) gets a nod from the Home Department of Delhi Government on May 29.

The Delhi Government had rejected a panel of Special Prosecutors proposed by Delhi police; such were the reports for the week.