PTC Web Desk: The Delhi High Court on Thursday agreed to urgently hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' protest held over the alleged NEET paper leak. The matter is scheduled to be heard on Friday.

The petition claims the protest was part of a larger conspiracy involving political leaders and foreign-funded organisations, allegations that have not been established in court.

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The matter was mentioned before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice DK. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia by advocate Barun Kumar Sinha. Sinha argued that the protest caused major disruption across Delhi, with road blockades leading to heavy traffic congestion and inconvenience for commuters. After hearing the request, the Bench agreed to list the matter for Friday.

Who filed the petition?

The PIL has been filed by Satish Kumar Aggarwal, a former vice-president of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.

According to the petition, the protest began over the alleged NEET paper leak but later turned into a political demonstration after several political leaders joined the movement.

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The petitioner has alleged that the July 20 protest led to violence, disruption of public movement, attacks on journalists, damage to public and private property, injuries to police personnel and attempts to breach Parliament security.

Based on these allegations, the plea seeks an independent investigation into the role of the organisers, participants and any possible external involvement.

The petition also raises questions about the participation of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and requests that investigating agencies examine his alleged links with foreign organisations and the funding of associated institutions. These are allegations made by the petitioner and have not been verified by the court.

Political leaders named

The PIL also names several political leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Atishi, Dimple Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav and Chandra Shekhar Azad. It alleges that they influenced the direction of the protest and that some participants were encouraged to engage in violence and attempt to enter Parliament premises. These claims remain allegations presented in the petition.

The plea also mentions author Arundhati Roy, claiming her presence at the protest raises questions about its objectives.

What the petitioner wants

The petitioner has urged the High Court to transfer all investigations related to the July 20 protest from the Delhi Police to the NIA or another specialised agency.

It has also sought the consolidation of all FIRs linked to the protest and requested directions to identify and prosecute those allegedly involved in violence, vandalism, obstruction of emergency services and damage to public and private property.

The Delhi High Court is expected to hear the matter on Friday.