Plea in HC for CBI probe into Gargi ‘molestation’

New Delhi, February 13

Hours after the Supreme Court declined to entertain a plea seeking a court-monitored CBI probe into the alleged molestation of students during a cultural festival last week at the all-women Gargi College here, the petitioner moved the Delhi High Court on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, a bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde asked the petitioner lawyer, advocate ML Sharma, who mentioned the matter seeking an urgent hearing, to move the Delhi High Court with his plea. “Why don’t you go to the Delhi HC. If they dismiss the petition then you come here,” the Bench, also comprising justices BR Gavai and Surya Kant, said.

The apex court said it would like to have advantage of Delhi HC’s view on the matter.

In the SC, the petitioner expressed apprehension that electronic evidence related to the case might be destroyed.

On this, the top court said: “The Delhi High Court can also pass order like the Telangana High Court in the police encounter case to preserve electronic evidence.”

Sharma, in his plea, has sought preservation of all video recordings and CCTV camera footage of the college campus. It has also sought arrest of the people behind the “planned criminal conspiracy”.

Ten persons, between the ages of 18 and 25 years, were arrested by police on Wednesday in connection with the incident. On February 6, a group of men broke into the Gargi College during the ‘Reverie’ fest and allegedly groped, harassed and molested the attendees, who claimed security officials stood watching when the incident took place.

The incident came to light after some students took to Instagram to narrate their ordeal and alleged security personnel did nothing to control the unruly groups. — PTI