Delhi riots: Why no FIR against Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra, asks UAPA accused
New Delhi, Aug 24: Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association President Shifa-Ur-Rehman, who was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the Delhi riots asked in the court on Tuesday why no FIR was registered against Union Minister Anurag Thakur, BJP leader Kapil Mishra, and others for allegedly instigating riots.
During the bail hearing, Shifa's lawyer, Abhishek Singh, showed Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat a complaint filed by him on January 30, 2020, seeking registration of FIR against Thakur, Mishra, another BJP leader Parvesh Sharma, and Jamia Shooter Ram Bhakt Gopal for allegedly instigating riots .
Did the prosecution even bother to call them as witnesses or accused or issue a notice that we want to know something? Because they said 'shoot xyz' so they know who those people are. They will at least have some evidence. Why was no FIR registered against them? This was the complaint I was pursuing, Singh said.
According to the complaint, as read by the lawyer in the court, Shifa mentioned that Mishra took out a rally in which slogans to shoot were raised, following which Thakur on January 28, 2020, said: desh ke gaddaron ko...
In January 2020, Thakur had allegedly egged on participants of an election rally to raise an incendiary slogan. While the minister raised the slogan "Desh ke gaddaron ko... (the traitors of the country)", the crowd responded by chanting: "Goli maaro saalon ko... (shoot them)."
Shifa is accused of collecting money to fund various sit-in protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). He, along with several others, has been booked under the anti-terror law in the case for being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 violence, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.
Alluding to the alleged funding, the lawyer affirmed that Shifa had made "some financial arrangements" but questioned whether paying some protestors make it an offence under the stringent UAPA.
Advocate Singh further emphasized that being a member or president of the alumni association or a protester is not an offence as people are entitled to their opinion and can peacefully protest against anything.
Why have I been roped in? I fail to understand. There is a fundamental right to protest. If a certain section of society is aggrieved by certain legislation and protest against it, that is not a crime. They can protest, the lawyer told the court.
Furthermore, Shifa's counsel sought bail for him saying that there has been a systematic violation of his fundamental rights and that he cannot be put in the bracket of rioters. He also read his WhatsApp chats to show that there was no instigation of violence.
Besides him, former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, JNU students Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar, former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and several others have also been booked under the stringent law in the case.
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Karnataka: GBA city corporation polls likely between June 14 and 24
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi on Friday said elections to the five city corporations under the GBA will be held anytime between June 14 and June 24.
He said the exact date for the polls will be announced after a week, asserting that the power to postpone the elections, as requested by GBA authorities, lies with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission to conduct Bengaluru local body elections by June 30.
On Friday, the SEC held a consultation meeting with the GBA Chief Commissioner and commissioners of the five city corporations regarding the election schedule, as per the provisions of the GBA Act.
“During the meeting, I informed GBA officials that only the election date has to be fixed, as all other measures and formalities for conducting the polls have already been completed,” Sangreshi said.
“They requested the Commission to consider factors such as rains, exams, census work, SIR, and manpower shortages while fixing the date and sought additional time,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “I told them this meeting was not for seeking time. Elections to the five corporations under the GBA must be held before June 30, as directed by the Supreme Court, and a compliance report must be submitted to the court. I do not have the power to postpone the elections as requested.”
The Supreme Court has already given a “final opportunity,” and both the SEC and the government must comply with its directions, the State Election Commissioner said.
He asked GBA officials to suggest suitable dates between June 14 and June 24.
“While stating that they are ready for elections, the officials highlighted operational challenges, including manpower shortages. However, I have informed them that the elections will have to be held between June 14 and June 24. After a week, I will announce the final date,” he said.
Reiterating that he does not have the power to postpone the elections, Sangreshi said the authority rests with the Supreme Court, and elections must be conducted as scheduled.
“We have consulted the GBA as per the rules. It is up to them to suggest a date within the given window. If they need more time, they must approach the court. Our responsibility is to fix the date and complete the polls before June 30,” he said.
The matter regarding manpower and other concerns raised by GBA officials is already before the Supreme Court, and the State Election Commission has also filed a petition in this regard. The case is yet to be heard.
“Since the matter has not come up for hearing, the earlier order remains binding. Therefore, preparations are underway,” he added.
The tenure of the previous elected body under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ended on September 10, 2020, and since then, a government-appointed administrator has been managing its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five municipal corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—under the Greater Bengaluru Authority in September 2025, replacing the BBMP.
Sangreshi had earlier said that elections to the five corporations would be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines.
This follows the Congress government’s decision last September to recommend the use of ballot papers in all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing concerns over declining public confidence in EVMs.
The state government subsequently enacted the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2026, paving the way for the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
