Sudarshan TV Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke did not make any hate speech at the December 2021 Delhi Dharam Sansad, Delhi Police told the Supreme Court. The gathering was organized by the Hindu Yuva Vahini with the "motive to save the ethics of their community", the police added.
The police said allegations that it was "hand in glove with perpetrators of communal hate are baseless and imaginary".
The police said that it had conducted an "in-depth investigation" and concluded that no hate speech was given against any community. "After a deep inquiry and evaluation of the contents of the video, the police did not find any substance in the videos as per the allegations leveled," the police affidavit read.
After examining the video, the police said, "The alleged hate speech did not disclose any hate words against a particular community…". Therefore, it has closed the complaints and concluded that no cognizable offence was made out requiring police action, the affidavit added.
"The case is based on videotape evidence. There is hardly any scope on the part of investigation agencies to tamper with the evidence or hamper the investigation in any manner," the police added.
The Delhi police had filed its counter-affidavit in response to a plea that sought action against the speakers at the Haridwar and Delhi Dharam Sansad held in December 2021. The response filed by the Delhi police was limited to the event held in Delhi which was attended by Chavhanke.
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Nothing said that will create an environment of paranoia for any religion: Delhi Police
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Esha Pandey stated that "none of the words which were spoken during the events in any manner whatsoever overtly or expressly described Indian Muslims as usurpers of territory, and as predators of land, livelihood and of Hindu women. "…nothing was said which could create an environment of paranoia amongst any religion," Pandey stated in the counter affidavit.
Pandey said nothing was said at the event which could be interpreted as "open calls of genocide of Muslims".
The Police said we must practice tolerance and other people's point of view while underscoring one's fundamental right to free speech.
"Intolerance is as much dangerous to democracy as to the person himself", the affidavit said. While referring to the twin test of "clear and present danger" to restrict speech, the Police said that speeches made at the Delhi Dharam Sansad did not aim to incite caste, language and communal fanaticism.
The Delhi Police has also questioned the intent of journalist Qurban Ali and former Bihar High Court judge Anjana Prakash who filed the petition in the Supreme Court. They have not approached the court with "clean hands", the police said adding that there were other remedies that could have been invoked as opposed to coming directly to the top court.
Ali and Prakash "misused the process of law", the police said adding that such a practice must be "deprecated".
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