Delhi rejects police-proposed lawyer panel to fight farmers' protest cases
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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Image credit: PTI
The Delhi Cabinet in its meeting on Friday rejected the proposal put forth by Delhi police to set up a panel of lawyers to fight cases pertaining to the farmers' protests. The cabinet decision, that the Delhi government's lawyers in court matters related to the farmers' protests will be public prosecutors, has been sent to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for approval.
The Delhi government, on Thursday, had accused the Centre of putting pressure on it to change its prosecutors in matters related to the farmers' agitation with those of the Delhi police. The CMO's office said that Baijal had rejected the Delhi government lawyers' panel appearing in the cases despite admitting that the public prosecutors are doing a good job in a virtual meeting with Law Minister Satyendar Jain.
The Delhi police requested the appointment of special public prosecutors for the cases related to violence, disrespect of the national flag and blatant disregard of the rule of law on Republic Day during a tractor rally taken out by the protesting farmers in the national capital, sources say.
"It has nothing to do with the farmers' protest as it is being deliberately made out with ulterior motives," they claimed.
The CMO, however, said, "The central government has come out in the open against the accused farmers of the anti-farm laws stir. The LG has stopped the Delhi government lawyers from fighting cases. The Centre is putting pressure on the (Arvind) Kejriwal government for replacing the lawyers of the state with its own to fight the cases against the accused farmers protesting against the farm laws."
"The Delhi Police investigating the cases, however, wants the appointment of its own panel of lawyers. Law Minister Satyendar Jain had rejected the Delhi Police proposal but now, the LG has put pressure on the Delhi government to call its cabinet meeting for a decision on the Delhi Police panel," the statement said. Delhi government has formed a panel of lawyers for an "impartial" hearing, it added.