Delhi issues notice to Punjab DGP, state police claim Mishra not named in FIR

The Delhi Assembly on Saturday served notices to three senior Punjab Police officials, seeking an explanation over the registration of an FIR against Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra in connection with a video clip of Assembly proceedings dated January 6. The Jalandhar police, however, clarified that the FIR had been lodged against unidentified persons and Mishra had not been named in the case.

The notices were issued to the Director General of Police, Punjab; Special DGP (Cyber Cell); and the Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar; for an alleged “breach of the Delhi Assembly privileges”. According to an official communication, the explanation has been requested within 48 hours by January 12, failing which further action may be considered.

Addressing a press conference, Speaker Vijender Gupta said the video on the basis of which the FIR was registered was not a personal recording but the official recording of the House proceedings, which was the exclusive property of the Delhi Assembly.

“Misuse of the property of the House in this manner, and registration of an FIR against a minister on the basis of such material, is extremely serious and condemnable,” Gupta said.

Questioning the role of the Jalandhar Police Commissioner, Gupta said it appeared prima facie to be a clear case of breach of privilege of the House and adding that the Assembly would consider the matter seriously.

He said to ensure transparency and fairness, the video clip had been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory. “Describing the official recording of the House as ‘tampered’ or ‘doctored’ amounts to a direct attack on the dignity of the Assembly. It is not merely a false allegation but appears to be a well-planned conspiracy to undermine the prestige of the House and malign constitutional institutions,” he said.

The issue arose after a clip of the Assembly proceedings was shared by Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra and several BJP MLAs, alleging that Atishi had insulted Guru Tegh Bahadur during a debate on a Delhi programme held in November last year to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru.

The Jalandhar Police Commissionerate on Friday evening claimed, “Several social media posts carrying a short video clip allegedly showing Atishi making derogatory remarks against Sikh Gurus, accompanied by highly inflammatory captions, were uploaded on various platforms. However, a forensic report indicated that the word ‘gurus’ was not spoken by Atishi and that the video had been deliberately edited to attribute words through captions that she never used.”

The police claimed the investigation was conducted in a scientific manner. The video clip containing Atishi’s audio was downloaded from the social media account of Delhi minister Mishra and sent to the Director, Forensic Science Laboratory, Punjab, SAS Nagar, for examination. Mishra had not been made an accused in the case, the police claimed.