Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Saturday issued breach of privilege notices to three senior Punjab Police officers, including the Punjab DGP, Jalandhar Police Commissioner, and Special DGP of the Cyber Cell. The officers have been given 48 hours to respond regarding an FIR filed over a doctored video clip of Assembly proceedings, which also involves Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra. The Speaker demanded explanations and supporting documents within the stipulated time frame.
The notices cite an alleged violation of the Delhi Assembly’s privileges, with Gupta emphasizing that the video used by Punjab Police is the exclusive property of the House. At a press briefing, he described the registration of the FIR as “unfortunate” and underscored that the misuse of Assembly recordings for criminal proceedings constitutes a direct affront to the dignity and authority of the legislature.
The controversy stems from a video clip shared on social media by Minister Mishra and several BJP legislators, alleging that Leader of Opposition Atishi insulted Guru Tegh Bahadur. Following this, the Jalandhar Police registered an FIR against Mishra, claiming the video had been “edited and doctored.” Punjab Police sent the clip to the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory for examination.
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The forensic report, dated January 9, reportedly concluded that Atishi never mentioned the word “Guru” in her speech and that the video had been deliberately manipulated with false captions. Gupta stated that the Assembly has requested all related documents and the forensic report from Punjab Police to assess the matter thoroughly.
Gupta emphasized that the issue is of constitutional and legislative importance, affecting the privileges and dignity of the House rather than any individual or party. He warned that unauthorized use of official Assembly recordings for legal actions constitutes a serious breach of parliamentary privilege, and the matter will be addressed with due seriousness by the House.
The Speaker condemned what he described as a misuse of the Punjab Police by the AAP government, asserting that further action against the officers will be considered after their replies are received by January 12. The development has added a new layer of political tension between Delhi and Punjab over the handling of official legislative content.
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