New Delhi, Jan 28 : Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has opposed the plea in the High Court by the AAP government challenging his decision to allow lawyers chosen by the Delhi Police to argue as Special Public Prosecutors (SPP) in cases related to last year’s Republic Day violence and the 2020 riots.
Defending the appointment of SPPs, the LG, in an affidavit, said that the recommendations were for an efficient, speedy, and just prosecution of the cases which are highly sensitive in nature, such as the northeast Delhi violence cases and the same has no bearing on the competence or independence of the prosecutor who is an “officer of the court” and fulfills the duty of efficiently assisting the court.
According to the city government’s petition, the SPPs have been chosen by the Delhi Police and lead to a serious conflict of interest,and prayed for directions from the court to enable the regular public prosecutors to continue so as to not jeopardise fair trial in the said cases.
As per the plea, neither the Delhi Police nor LG have complaints against the work of the regular public prosecutors in conducting the cases related to the farmers’ agitation and northeast Delhi riots.
There are also no complaints that the cases are being delayed due to an inadequate number of public prosecutors.Thus, there existed no reason for the Delhi Police to seek an appointment of SPPs or the LG to approve the same, the plea read.
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