Petitioners In Contempt Case Against DDA Should Not Be Harassed : Supreme Court To Delhi Police

The Supreme Court on Friday (July 12) stated that no authority shall harass the petitioners who filed a contempt case against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) over illegal tree felling in Delhi Ridge Forest Area.

The petitionesr in the contempt case has alleged harassment by the Delhi police after the contempt petition was filed. The petitioners stated that the Delhi police was making enquiries and collected the bank account details. The petitioners therefore filed an application to implead the Delhi Police Commissioner and the Axis Bank in the case.

While the Court refrained from passing any orders on the application, it observed that the petitioners should not be harassed by anyone.

“At this stage we may not issue any directions but we make it very clear to all authorities that no one will make any attempt to cause any harassment to the petitioners in the contempt petition only because they have filed a contempt petition and brought to the notice of this court gross breach of orders of this court. For the time being this observation is sufficient to protect the interest of the petitioners”, a special bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan stated in its order.

It may be noted that the Supreme Court has taken suo motu criminal contempt action against the Vice Chairman of the Delhi Development Authority for illegally cutting the trees of Delhi's ridge forest for a road widening project.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that the police contacted the petitioner in relation to an FIR which was lodged prior in time to the contempt petition.

Justice Oka remarked, "Coincidentally, all this starts only after he has filed a contempt petition."  

Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan for the petitioner New Delhi Nature Society sought protection for his client. He added that his client is being asked about the other petitioner Bindu Kapurea.

The court in the order stated that it is not issuing any directions at this time but emphasized that no authorities should harass the petitioners solely because they filed a contempt petition stating that this observation should be sufficient to protect their interests.

The case is listed for further hearing on July 31, 2024 at 2 PM.

"From the 5th of June onwards, individuals start coming to my house, police and they start asking me who I (petitioner) am, what my trust is about. Then the next day they come and ask me about the petitioner in the other contempt petition. Ask for full details, ask for disclosures. Then they reach out to my bank. They have taken my bank account details," Sankaranarayanan had told the court on Wednesday.

Also from the hearing :  Truth About Delhi LG's Site Visit Now Out After Much Cover-Up, Specify If Tree Cutting Was Ordered By Him : Supreme Court To DDA

Case Details: Bindu Kapurea v. Subhasish Panda | Diary No. 21171-2024, New Delhi Nature Society v. Rajesh Kumar Kaushal And Ors. Diary No. 21740-2024