The Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Enquiry Committee (HPEC) investigating police violence during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests has received almost no complaints from victims, the apex court was told this Thursday. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted the panel cannot finalize findings without material. The lack of direct complaints has stalled the inquiry into the July 20 clashes at Jantar Mantar.
The panel, headed by a former Supreme Court judge, informed the court it published notices in 149 newspapers inviting grievances. It reiterated the call for complaints on October 21, sharing its online portal and office address. Despite this wide net, online and physical submissions remained negligible. The committee includes former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Delhi High Court judge Justice Shalinder Kaur, former CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla, and retired Meghalaya DGP L R Bishnoi.
Justice Kant reacted sharply to the procedural deadlock. He ordered that all existing petitions, videos, and complaints already before the court be transferred directly to the HPEC. This move bypasses the need for fresh filings from aggrieved parties. The CJI also demanded the committee submit interim reports at regular intervals to ensure transparency.
The protests, which began at Jantar Mantar on June 20, centered on the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Security forces used lathis and tear gas to disperse crowds attempting to reach Parliament on July 20. The agitation spread to several cities before ending on July 25 after Pradhan resigned and the government accepted other CJP demands. The SC originally constituted the panel in August after hearing pleas from both protesters alleging police excesses and police personnel alleging violence by students.
The panel must now process the transferred digital evidence and court petitions to build its case. Its next interim report is expected shortly, potentially clarifying the extent of state force used during the mass demonstrations.