Today, On 2nd May, The Allahabad High Court has rejected a PIL filed by Hindu Front For Justice seeking an SIT probe into Robert Vadra’s Pahalgam Terror attack remarks, stating petitioners can pursue civil or criminal legal options instead.
Lucknow: The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Hindu Front For Justice.
The plea was led by Advocate Ranjana Agnihotri and rejected at the admission stage.
The PIL requested a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into Robert Vadra’s comments regarding the Pahalgam terror attack.
The Bench, consisting of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Om Prakash Shukla, advised the petitioner to pursue other legal options, such as filing a First Information Report (FIR) or a criminal complaint.
The petition has been filed by the Hindu Front for Justice and some others.
It was originally scheduled to be heard on Wednesday by the Lucknow bench of the High Court, which includes Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Om Prakash Shukla. However, due to time constraints, the hearing could not take place and was postponed to Friday.
The petitioners have demanded that the Central government form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into Vadra’s remarks. They have also requested the court to direct the authorities to take legal action against him under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), India’s new criminal law code which recently replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Background
A terrorist attack took place, On April 22, near a meadow in Pahalgam, located in Anantnag district of south Kashmir. In this tragic incident, 26 people, mostly tourists, lost their lives, and several others were seriously injured after terrorists opened fire.
Robert Vadra’s comments after the attack sparked outrage and led to the filing of the petition. He reportedly suggested that the attackers deliberately targeted non-Muslims.
Vadra stated,
“Non-Muslims were targeted”
He went on to add that terrorists might have been influenced by a belief that Muslims are being unfairly treated in India,
“Terrorists feel that Muslims are being mistreated in the country”
These statements have drawn sharp reactions from various political and social groups. The Hindu Front for Justice claims Vadra’s remarks are not only irresponsible but also capable of disturbing public harmony.
The plea argues that such statements could affect national security and hence, must be properly investigated by an independent authority.
Businessman Robert Vadra had made a statement regarding the Pahalgam terror attack, which led to a petition being filed against him in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.
Robert Vadra is a businessman and the son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi, the chief of the Congress Parliamentary Party, and the brother-in-law of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. Though he does not hold any official political post, Vadra has often been in the news for his public statements and business dealings.