Punjab cm gets SC notice in 2020 violent protest case

The Supreme Court is examining an appeal by the Chandigarh administration seeking to revive criminal proceedings against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The case stems from a 2020 protest where Mann and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders allegedly engaged in violent acts, injuring police personnel.

The administration is challenging a Punjab and Haryana High Court order from November 2025 that exonerated Mann and others. The High Court had ruled that charges of unlawful assembly and rioting were not substantiated, stating that prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were not in effect during the protest. The court also noted that the injuries sustained by police were not grievous and that no specific individuals were identified for stone-pelting.

“

We will issue notice. This requires examining.

However, the Chandigarh administration, represented by Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, argued before the Supreme Court that the High Court's reliance on the absence of Section 144 orders to dismiss the unlawful assembly charge was flawed. Raju contended that such a finding is "unheard of" and would allow offenders to escape punishment. The administration maintains that undisputed facts show a violent protest occurred, resulting in injuries to police officers, and that the High Court wrongly blamed the police for the escalation.

“

This kind of a finding that promulgation of section 144 order is essential to declare an unlawful assembly is unheard of. If this is the case, then any offence committed during such a protest cannot be punished.