Delhi High Court seeks response from Delhi Police on Nadeem Khan plea to quash non-bailable warrant

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the response of Delhi Police to a plea by Mohammad Wasiq Nadeem Khan, the National Secretary of Association for Protection of Civil Rights (ACPR), seeking quashing of the non-bailable warrants issued against him by the Saket court..Justice Jasmeet Singh issued notice to the Delhi Police and posted the case for further consideration on December 11.The non-bailable warrant was issued against him in connection with a case in which he has been booked by the Delhi Police for promoting enmity and criminal conspiracy after a video of him went viral on YouTube.The video showed a person who had set up a stall at an exhibition and standing in front of multiple display boards. As per the FIR, the person was gesturing towards a banner and talking about ‘Nadeem, Akhlaq, Rohit Vemula, Pehlu Khan’, and the 2020 CAA/ NRC protests at Shaheen Bagh and the Delhi riots, portraying a particular community as victims and inciting people.On analysing this video, the police said that it found that the display stall was set up by APCR and the person in the video was Khan.A first information report was registered against Khan on November 30 for the offences of promoting enmity and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, public mischief and criminal conspiracy.Subsequently, the Delhi Police sought and obtained non-bailable warrant against Khan on December 2.As per Khan's plea before the High Court, the warrant was obtained in haste without any default on his part."It is settled law that a non-bailable warrant cannot be issued in aid of investigation and the proper course to be adopted is first, issuance of summons, thereafter bailable warrants and only thereafter, non-bailable warrant," his petition said.This issuance of non-bailable warrant in this case was without application of mind, he contended..This is the second plea filed by Khan before the High Court.Earlier on December 3, the Court had granted interim protection from arrest to Khan after he moved the Court seeking a stay on investigation and quashing of first information report (FIR) registered against him.