Delhi riots case: Supreme Court stays HC order granting Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita access to probe documents
The Supreme Court of India has stayed a High Court order that previously granted activist Devangana Kalita access to non-relied-upon documents in the 2020 Delhi riots case. The Delhi Police appealed the decision, arguing against the disclosure of materials not included in the formal chargesheet.
Why it matters
This case highlights the ongoing legal debate regarding the rights of the accused to access investigative materials and the balance between transparency and state security in criminal proceedings.
The Supreme Court on Monday (July 20, 2026) stayed a Delhi High Court order permitting Pinjra Tod activist Devangana Kalita to inspect documents and other material collected during the investigation but not relied upon by the Delhi Police in its chargesheet in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.
The interim order came on an appeal filed by the Delhi Police against the High Court’s June 5 judgment , which had allowed Ms. Kalita to inspect the police malkhana containing the case property, including material seized during the investigation but neither relied upon by the investigating agency nor filed along with the chargesheet. The High Court had also vacated its 2024 stay on the trial court proceedings, allowing the process of framing charges to resume.
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