The Delhi government on Thursday said that Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal has refused to let a panel of lawyers constituted by it to appear in trials of cases registered against the protesting farmers.
Cabinet meet
“The L-G has asked the Delhi government to give Cabinet’s approval on a panel of lawyers suggested by the Delhi police. The police, who are investigating the cases registered against the farmers, want to appoint a panel of their own lawyers, upon which the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called an immediate meeting on Friday,” read a statement from the Chief Minister’s office.
Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain has rejected police’s proposal of appointing lawyers of the latter’s favour, as per the statement. “In view of this decision, the L-G has asked the Delhi government to call for a Cabinet meeting and has pressured it to take a decision in favour of the police’s choice of lawyers,” the statement said.
The government said that the farmers have been protesting against the three farm laws for several months and the police have registered several cases against them.
Fair hearing
The Delhi government had formed a panel of lawyers for a fair hearing of the cases registered against the farmers. The city police, on the other hand, wants to push a panel of its own lawyers. In this regard, a list of lawyers was sent by the police to Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain for approval. After inspecting the list, Mr. Jain rejected it,” the statement read.
Later, Mr. Jain sent a list of lawyers to the L-G, but he refused to approve the list, the government said.
A Raj Niwas source said the matter pertains to the request made by the police for appointment of special public prosecutors for the cases related to violence on the Republic Day this year.
“It has nothing to do with ‘farmers’ protest’ as is being deliberately made out with ulterior motives. Individuals with predetermined agenda and vested interests deliberately carried out acts on January 26, 2021, in full media presence that were not only an affront to the national morale but aimed at bringing shame to the country internationally,” the source said in response to the allegations.
It stated that apart from the earlier disagreement on the file, the L-G in the said meeting on July 1 with Mr. Jain, has “clearly and categorically expressed his disagreement” at the Home Minister’s turning down of the “valid request” of the police.
“The same was also reiterated and clearly conveyed in a subsequent letter from the L-G to the CM requesting him to convene a meeting of the Council of Ministers to consider and decide upon the said disagreement at the earliest. The Cabinet, if at all, is doing just that,” sources stated.
