GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, July 22, declined to urgently hear a petition alleging police brutality against students during a protest at Jantar Mantar, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant observing that the court did not have time to review video evidence submitted by the petitioner.
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The matter was mentioned before a Bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana, with the petitioner's counsel seeking an urgent hearing on Thursday.
The lawyer told the court that video footage allegedly showing police brutality against students was available and requested that the matter be listed at the earliest.
"I have the videos as well regarding police brutality… If it can be listed tomorrow… students are there," the counsel submitted.
Responding to the request, the CJI said, "Don't waste our time, and don't waste your time."
When the lawyer again referred to the videos, the Bench remarked, "We are not interested in videos, we don't have time to watch… We don't want to watch videos."
The petition urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu cognisance of the alleged violation of students' fundamental rights and the alleged non-compliance by the Delhi Police with binding judicial directions during what it described as a peaceful public protest.
It also sought the constitution of an independent judicial inquiry headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge and directions for the registration of appropriate FIRs against the Delhi Police personnel and other officials allegedly responsible for the incident.
The development comes a day after the Delhi High Court declined to urgently list a similar petition challenging the alleged use of excessive force by Delhi Police against students participating in the Cockroach Janta Party's march to Parliament over the alleged NEET examination paper leak.
While refusing an urgent hearing on Tuesday, a Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed, "Don't drag the court into all this," and listed the matter for hearing on Wednesday.