The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking the release of Republic Day protesters “illegally detained” by the police.
The bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh said that the missing persons may have gone out “for their own personal work”. The Court also observed that the petitioner has not contacted any of relatives of the alleged missing persons.
The division bench directed Delhi Police to complete investigation in the FIRs registered against protestors as early as possible.
The arrested persons cannot be released without going into the merits of FIRs and investigation – the Court said, according to Indian Express.
Delhi Police has arrested 122 people, including those in their 70s and 80s, in connection with the tractor rally on Republic Day, and registered 44 FIRs.
In the petition, Harman Preet Singh said “the notion of liberty cannot be diffused even in emergencies.”
We see no reason to entertain the writ petition, the Court added.
Police have sent notices to 54 farm leaders and 200 owners of tractors — the latter identified with help from the transport department — but they have not responded. The tractor owners have been summoned for questioning, said police.
