Published 14:03 IST, March 8th 2020
Allahabad HC stays order allowing recovery of damages for vandalism from 4 by UP govt
For anti-CAA pleas seeking a stay on recovery notices issued by the Yogi Adityanath government, an Allahabad High Court bench on Sunday stayed the order
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In a massive development in the anti-CAA pleas seeking a stay on recovery notices issued by the Yogi Adityanath government, an Allahabad High Court bench on Sunday stayed the order issued by the Additional District Magistrate to recover damages from four persons. The Yogi government had issued notices to the four individuals for the destruction of public property during Anti-CAA protests. The verdict by the bench headed by Justices Manoj Misra and Deepak Verma stated that till the next date of listing, no recovery shall be made from the petitioner.
Yogi govt's damage recovery stalled
Earlier in February, a similar releif had been provided by another bench of Allahabad HC to a Kanpur resident who was issued a recovery notice. The bench has stated that the matter will be heard in April after the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict on the issue - several pleas have challenged the validity of the Adityanath government's orders. The Allahabad High court has clubbed both issues to be heard in April.
In contrast, the Lucknow bench on February 10, dismissed a petition that challenged the recovery notices served on the anti-citizenship amendment act (CAA) protesters for allegedly damaging public property. The Lucknow bench of the high court said such matters are already sub judice before the Supreme Court so there was no occasion to file the instant petition here. The petitioner had challenged a notice issued by the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government for the recovery of damages allegedly caused to public property during a recent protest in the city against the CAA.
Anti-CAA protests in UP
The beginning of violence in UP was witnessed on December 15 when Aligarh Muslim University students who were protesting were allegedly attacked by police using tear gas shells, rubber bullets, stun grenades, pellets, and stones. While police deny these claims, over 17 policemen and 60 students were injured as protestors began to vandalise public property and torch buses while pelting stones. The Allahabad HC has ordered the UP DGP to identify and take action against the policemen who were involved in the 'unnecessary canning of students' and 'damaging motorcycles' on December 15 and directed compensation to six students with injuries was based on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) probe into the violence.
Violence had been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh during the December-January period against the amended Citizenship Act which has led to the 21 deaths and many injured. UP police have detained 5,500 people and arrested 1100 to date and had issued notices to over 50 persons seeking damages and had put up posters 'naming the rioters'. Several places like Meerut, Lucknow, Bijnor, Rampur, Kanpur, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Muzaffarnagar, Bareli, Lucknow witnessed rampant violence.
14:03 IST, March 8th 2020