The Supreme Court has formed a five-member High-Powered Enquiry Committee headed by former top court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy to examine allegations of excessive use of force by police authorities and security personnel against student protesters in Delhi recently and violence against police personnel.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said the committee would also comprise former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court Judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla and retired Meghalaya DGP L R Bishnoi.
The top court clarified that as a matter of abundant caution, the enquiry undertaken by the High-Powered Enquiry Committee shall not be a one-time exercise. It asked the Committee to undertake a continuous and periodic assessment of the issues and shall submit its interim findings periodically.
The Apex Court recommended that the High-Powered Enquiry Committee should address certain issues on a priority basis, foremost amongst which is the matter relating to the alleged incidents of targeted violence, harassment and molestation of female protesters.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led march to Parliament on 20th of July in Delhi over alleged examination paper leaks resulted in violent clashes, leaving several people injured among both protesters and security personnel as crowds breached barricades.
