Harsh Mander Case : 'We Don't Need You In This Proceeding', CJI Tells Colin Gonsalves

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to allow the plea made by Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves on behalf of a riot victim to intervene in the petition filed social activist Harsh Mander seeking police investigation against politicians who made hate speeches which allegedly led to Delhi riots

Gonsalves requested CJI to allow the intervention in the case, which is scheduled to be heard on Friday.

"We don't need you in this proceeding", CJI Bobde told Gonsalves.

On Thursday, the Court had sought Mander's response on the allegation made by the Solicitor General that he had passed derogatory remarks against judiciary during an anti-CAA protest meet.

Today, Gonslaves sought to place the transcript of the full speech of Mander on record. But the CJI told him that the Solicitor General has already done that.

"The Solicitor General has already done that. You're not a part of these proceedings. Please stay out of it Mr. Gonsalves. You have nothing to do with these proceedings", CJI told Gonsalves.

Mander had filed Special Leave Petition in the SC against the February 27 order of the Delhi HC which adjourned the hearing of his PIL in HC seeking registration of FIR for hate speech against BJP politicians Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma, Abhay Verma and Kapil Mishra.

On Wednesday, the petition was listed before the CJI-led bench along with another writ petition filed by nine riot victims seeking similar relief.

While the bench disposed of the riot victims' writ petition by transferring the same to the High Court and asking the HC to list it on Friday, it retained Mander's plea after the SG submitted that he had made derogatory remarks against the institution.

"If this is what you feel about SC, then we have to decide what to do with you" , CJI Bobde said on the allegation against Mander.

An affidavit was filed by Delhi Police on Wednesday stating that Mander's speech was "instigating violence" and was "seriously contemptuous".