India News | Flogging of Garba Event Stone-pelting Accused: Gujarat HC Asks Cops to Appear in Contempt Case
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Gujarat High Court has asked 15 policemen to appear either party-in-person or through their lawyers in a contempt case connected to the alleged flogging of members of a minority community accused of stone-pelting during a garba event last year.
Ahmedabad, Jan 19 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court has asked 15 policemen to appear either party-in-person or through their lawyers in a contempt case connected to the alleged flogging of members of a minority community accused of stone-pelting during a garba event last year.
During Navratri in October, some villagers were injured after a mob comprising members of the Muslim community allegedly hurled stones at a garba dance event in Undhela village in Kheda district.
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Videos purportedly showing police personnel publicly flogging three of the 13 arrested accused went viral on social media.
Later, some of the accused approached HC claiming the police personnel involved in the act had committed contempt of court by flouting Supreme Court directions on people in custody as laid down in the DK Basu vs State of West Bengal case.
On Thursday, while hearing the petition filed by some of the accused who were allegedly beaten up, the division bench of Justices NV Anjaria and NR Mehta expressed displeasure on learning that none of the 15 respondent policemen had appeared.
The 15 policemen include the Inspector General of Police of Ahmedabad Range, Kheda Superintendent of Police, an inspector and others.
Along with the state government, the bench had served them notices in October.
During a hearing held on Wednesday, the petitioner's lawyer IH Syed had informed HC that none of the 15 respondents had appeared so far. He also told court the respondents would have to hire their own lawyers instead of the state government defending them since it is a contempt petition.
Addressing Assistant Government Pleader Manan Mehta, Justice Anjaria said all the 15 respondents must appear either party-in-person or through their advocates on the next date or else the court "will proceed in accordance with the law".
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)