PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Nainital,
While hearing the petition of the gym operator Deepak Kumar who had identified himself as “Mohammad Deepak” while confronting Bajrang Dal activists allegedly harassing a Muslim shopkeeper in Kotdwar over shop name controversy on January 26, the Uttarakhand High Court verbally pulled him up, asking him how a suspected accused could have sought police protection. Notably, Kumar had in his plea sought quashing of the FIR filed against him in connection with the Kotdwar incident. A case was registered against Kumar for rioting, causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace in connection with the incident.
A single-bench of Justice Rakesh Thapliyal termed such petitions as pressure tactics meant to influence the ongoing investigation and sensationalise the entire matter.
The court on Tuesday had directed the state authorities to file status reports on the action taken in all the FIRs related to the incident.
In the petition, Kumar also requested the court to direct the registration of an FIR against those who allegedly had made hate speeches.
