New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear an application on October 26 seeking a first information report against Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The legal action follows an incident on October 12 in which a woman journalist was allegedly pushed and injured during an Opposition march inside the Supreme Court precincts. The application additionally requests the preservation of CCTV footage and related records pertaining to the event.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stated that the application will be scheduled alongside other matters connected to the protests on October 26. The application was filed by advocate Digant Mishra and others, drawing attention to the situation involving journalist Richa Parashar, who represents the news website OneIndia. According to the complaint, Parashar was pushed by Gandhi's security personnel while attempting to extend a microphone for a statement. She fell, sustained injuries, and was subsequently hospitalised.
The petitioners have asked the court to direct Delhi Police to immediately register an FIR under specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, concerning assault or criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, voluntarily causing hurt, and related provisions against Gandhi and any other individuals involved. Furthermore, the application demands the retention of all CCTV recordings from gates, steps, driveways, and approaches within the Supreme Court grounds for October 12, alongside access-control logs and visitor records.
Senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia mentioned the application for an urgent listing. The move followed remarks from the bench on Thursday indicating that the court would not initiate suo motu cognisance but would examine the matter if a formal petition or application was presented. The CJI confirmed the case would be taken up alongside Mishra's earlier petition, which previously raised objections regarding the entry of Gandhi and other Opposition leaders into the court precincts accompanied by a large crowd of lawyers without prior security clearance.
That underlying petition also advocates for a neutral framework to govern processions and demonstrations in and around constitutional court complexes. It calls for a total ban on political protests within judicial facilities and requests clear guidelines regarding the decorum expected from political figures on court campuses.