High Court Steps In After Police Refuse CJP Complaint Acknowledgment

The Delhi High Court intervened on Wednesday after Delhi Police failed to provide a formal, stamped acknowledgment for a criminal complaint alleging excessive force during the July 20 Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) demonstration at Jantar Mantar.

State counsel representing Delhi Police told Justice Prateek Jalan that a "temporary technical glitch" prevented officers at the Parliament Street police station from issuing a receipt when the plea was lodged last week. The police assured the court that an official acknowledgment alongside a Daily Diary (DD) number would be generated and handed over to the complainants during the day.

Background of the complaint

The petition was brought before the court by the Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust through Advocate Abhijit Anand. According to court filings, the Trust originally submitted its complaint at the Parliament Street station on July 23, detailing events from the July 20 "Sansad Chalo" rally.

The complaint alleges cognisable offences—including attempt to murder, use of pellet guns, iron rods, unprovoked lathicharges, and electric shocks delivered via police batons against unarmed demonstrators. It names high-ranking officials, including Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, Joint Commissioner Madhur Verma, Additional DCP Sandeep Lamba, CRPF/RAF Assistant Commandant Sonia Sehrawat, and Station House Officer Navin Rathi, alongside unidentified police and paramilitary personnel.

When officers at Parliament Street refused to issue a stamped receipt upon submission, the Trust approached the High Court seeking directions for acknowledgment and criminal prosecution of station officers under statutory obligations.

High Court proceedings

During Wednesday's hearing, Justice Prateek Jalan questioned state counsel over the lack of documentation: "No complaints on that day were acknowledged?"

In response, the state explained the failure as an internal system glitch rather than a deliberate refusal. Satisfied with the state's undertaking to issue the receipt and DD number immediately, Justice Jalan disposed of the petition while remarking, "Let's see to it that the systems are working."

What we can verify

• High Court Order: Justice Prateek Jalan disposed of the plea following the state's oral commitment to issue a DD-stamped acknowledgment on Wednesday. — The Indian Express
• Complaint Details: The Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust submitted its complaint to Parliament Street police station on July 23, seeking action against senior Delhi Police, CRPF, and RAF personnel over allegations of pellet gun deployment and baton charges during the July 20 protest. — The Indian Express

What remains unverified

• Specific Individual Criminal Liability: The substantive allegations of attempt to murder and targeted assault named against individual officers in the Trust's complaint have not been ruled upon or investigated by the High Court in this procedural hearing. [unverified]
• System Glitch Assertion: Whether the failure to issue receipts at Parliament Street police station was genuinely caused by a technical malfunction or represented an administrative oversight remains an unexamined state assertion. [unverified]