Anti-India speech: Court to hear plea on filing of chargesheet

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court is likely to take a decision on March 10 on a plea seeking a direction to the police to file a chargesheet in a case lodged against hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, writer Arundhati Roy and four others in a case of sedition for their alleged anti-India speeches.

Complainant Sushil Pandit, who is dissatisfied with the police reports saying the probe against Geelani and others is still inconclusive, has filed an application seeking early conclusion of the investigation in the case.

"The investigating agency was required to submit its chargesheet within 90 days from the date of registration of FIR but till date no chargesheet has been filed nor have the police informed about the reason for delay," Pandit said in his plea before Metropolitan Magistrate Navita Kumari Bagha.

"Police have not filed any report showing that they have arrested any of the accused or they have served any notice on accused persons to participate in investigations," the application added.

The complainant alleged the two probe reports were silent on the progress made by them in the investigation.

The Magistrate, who is likely to hear the fresh plea on March 10, had earlier deferred the hearing on the complaint to May 5.

The police, which have filed two reports, had lodged the FIR in the case following a court order.