New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI): The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has registered a fresh FIR to investigate the circumstances that led to violence during the protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in the national capital on July 20, police sources said on Thursday. The probe will focus on any “larger conspiracy” behind the violence, identifying alleged “instigators” and examining whether it was “premeditated”, the sources said.
The FIR comes two days ahead of another protest announced by the CJP to be held at Jantar Mantar, this time to press for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. A police officer said that permission has not been granted for any protest on October 10.
Delhi Police had earlier, on the directions of the Supreme Court, cancelled 17 FIRs registered at multiple police stations in the New Delhi district against students who participated in the CJP-led protests.
On the Centre’s request, the apex court, however, permitted Delhi Police at the time to register fresh FIRs against 2,873 individuals with serious criminal antecedents who were present at the Jantar Mantar protest.
Referring to the fresh FIR, the police source told PTI that teams of the Crime Branch will also look into whether criminal elements entered the protest sites after the CJP called for a march towards Parliament on July 20.
“Police are set to reconstruct the sequence of events, determine the roles of those present (at the protest) and examine the messages exchanged before and during the unrest. The FIR has been registered under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to criminal conspiracy, common intention, assault on public servants, vandalism and rioting,” the source said.
The officer said the probe will also focus on identifying those who allegedly instigated the violence.
“We will examine what role each of them played, whether they were asked to join the protest or participated on their own, and whether they were involved in the violence,” the source added.
Police added that the FIR was lodged to identify the “instigators” and establish the circumstances that led to the violence.
Several police personnel and student protesters were injured, public property was damaged and government buildings were defaced during the July 20 protest. The police have taken cognisance of all these incidents, the source added.
The Crime Branch will also examine the role of 2,873 people with criminal backgrounds who, police said, were identified through the Facial Recognition System during the protest.
Police also said that their FCR is approximately 50 per cent accurate.
The CJP-led ‘Sansad Chalo’ march on July 20 in Delhi saw clashes between protesters and security personnel, who used lathis and tear gas shells to disperse crowds attempting to move towards Parliament.
The violence during the protest involved alleged assaults on police personnel, vandalism and damage to public property, including police vehicles. The protesters also alleged excessive force against them by police during the protest.
The student-led protests, which spread to several cities, were centred around the resignation of the then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The agitation, which began at Jantar Mantar on June 20, was called off on July 25 after Pradhan resigned and the government accepted the CJP’s other demands
Friday, October 9, 2026