Delhi Police on Thursday assured the Delhi High Court that it would take “all possible measures under the law” in response to the Cockroach Janta Party ’s (CJP) call for supporters to gather with the national flag at Central Park near Connaught Place on Friday.
The order, signed by police commissioner Anurag Kumar, designated three alternative venues: Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground in north Delhi and CBD Ground in east Delhi. The assurance was given by additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma and standing counsels Ashish Dixit and Amit Tiwari during a hearing on a petition filed by Anil Kumar Gupta, a street vendor at Palika Bazar, near Connaught Place. Gupta, represented by senior advocate Sacchin Puri, argued that Central Park lies at the heart of Connaught Place, close to Jantar Mantar, and is not among the designated protest venues notified under a recent Delhi Police order. To be sure, the petition comes days after Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site, ending its long-standing role as one of the country’s most prominent venues for demonstrations. Das and Ranka were sent to five days of judicial custody and lodged in Tihar Jail for allegedly violating their peace bonds and trespassing into Jantar Mantar after it had been de-notified as a protest site.
“When confronted, the ASG appearing for rest of the respondent assures that the apprehension of the petitioners will be taken care of as respondents have already taken action to control and regulate the activities of respondent 6 and all possible measures under the law will be taken.
The assurance is taken on record,” the court said in its order.
