Atishi video row: Delhi Assembly again seeks FIR details from Punjab Police

The Delhi Assembly has again sought documents related to an FIR registered by the Punjab police in connection with the alleged doctored video clip of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi that was posted on X by Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra.

The Assembly Secretariat on Friday wrote to the Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Director General of Police, Punjab, and the Police Commissioner of Jalandhar, seeking their replies by February 20. Their replies and document copies were earlier sought by the Assembly by February 12.

AAP and the BJP have been locked in a political war of words over alleged comments made by Ms. Atishi in the Delhi Assembly about Guru Tegh Bahadur and an alleged doctored video of the incident shared by Mr. Mishra on X. The Punjab police on January 9 had registered an FIR regarding the ‘doctored’ video. The issue was later referred to the Delhi Assembly’s Privileges Committee and on the directions of Speaker Vijender Gupta.

In separate letters sent on Friday to all three officials, the Assembly Secretary stated that any delay or refusal to furnish the information and documents sought by the committee would amount to a “breach of privilege and contempt”.

Hitting back, AAP questioned the authority of the committee to seek reports from the Punjab police.

Undermining norms

Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the BJP had undermined institutional norms. “The same BJP government and its L-G never presented even a Delhi Police constable before the Privileges Committee nor did they ever answer questions in the Assembly regarding law and order. Yet the BJP is now saying that the DGP of Punjab Police should appear before their Privileges Committee,” he said.

During the Assembly’s Winter Session on January 7, the BJP sought cancellation of Ms. Atishi’s membership over alleged remarks made in the House a day earlier. AAP alleged that Mr. Mishra had posted an “edited” and “fake” video of Ms. Atishi’s comments on social media on January 8, calling it an “insult to the guru”. The party also demanded Mr. Mishra’s suspension, along with the MLAs who had reposted the clip.

Later, the Speaker said that the original video recording of the incident from the Assembly will be handed over to the State Forensic Science Laboratory for examination. However, the video circulated by Mr. Mishra was not sent for forensic examination by the Assembly.

After the FIR by Punjab Police, a Jalandhar court ordered the removal of the video from social media platforms last month.