Delhi High Court rejects pleas for SIT probe into 2020 riots and 2019 Jamia violence

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The Delhi High Court on Monday (Oct 5, 2026) dismissed a series of petitions seeking an SIT probe into the 2020 riots in the capital and the 2019 violence that erupted at Jamia Millia Islamia following the anti-CAA protests.

Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Manoj Jain said, “For the reasons given in the judgment, all the petitions are dismissed”.

“The charge is divided into two parts, one is the North East Delhi riots and the other is for the Jamia Millia riots,” the bench said while pronouncing the verdict.

A detailed judgment is awaited.

The court reserved its verdict on a number of petitions on July 24.

In the Northeast Delhi riots case, the court was hearing a number of petitions seeking directions to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), inquiry commission or board of inquiry for medical treatment, grant of compensation and registration of FIRs against erring police officers.

Some of the pleas also demanded that political leaders be charged for alleged hate speech and the formation of an SIT to probe the violence and FIRs against policemen.

A communal clash erupted in Northeast Delhi on 24 February 2020 as part of protests against the Citizenship Act, leaving at least 53 dead and around 700 injured.

Other petitions related to the violence that erupted at Jamia Millia Islamia following the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in December 2019.

The petitioners argued that an SIT, independent of the police and the central government, was needed to investigate the alleged brutalities committed on students by police forces.

Published – 5 Oct 2026 11:20 AM IST