Delhi HC orders report on alleged courtroom attack, security for lawyer

The alleged attack on the lawyer, in his late 30s (between 38 and 40 years), on February 7 was reportedly orchestrated by the complainant’s counsel and his goons before the court of additional district judge Harjit Singh Pal

The Delhi high court on Monday ordered the principal district and sessions judge of the Tis Hazari courts to submit a report on the alleged attack on a lawyer and his clients inside a courtroom and directed the Delhi Police to provide round-the-clock protection to the lawyer.

The DCP (North) has been asked to provide the victim lawyer with adequate security, which shall be subject to a review of the threat perception after 10 days, the court said. (Representational image)

The alleged attack on the lawyer, in his late 30s (between 38 and 40 years), on February 7 was reportedly orchestrated by the complainant’s counsel and his goons before the court of additional district judge Harjit Singh Pal.

The directions on Monday were issued by a bench comprising chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justices V Kameshwar Rao and Nitin Sambre after the court took suo motu cognisance of the incident.

This followed the lawyer’s earlier mention of the matter before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant in the morning, who directed him to bring the incident before the chief justice of the Delhi high court.

The CJI, however, took a serious view of the incident, observing that such acts, amounting to “gunda raj”, are unacceptable. The lawyer subsequently mentioned the matter before the Delhi high court just before the court rose for lunch.

The court asked the lawyer to file a brief petition, following which it took suo motu cognisance of the issue and heard the matter on an urgent basis at 4pm.

“We request the learned Principal District and Sessions Judge, Tis Hazari, to submit a report into the alleged incident after making inquiries from all concerned, including the presiding officer of the court concerned. The order dated February 9 passed by the division bench reflects that he had expressed apprehension about his personal safety, and thus we direct DCP North to provide him adequate security, which shall be subject to review of the threat perception to the advocate concerned after 10 days,” the court said in its order.

The Delhi Police’s standing counsel Sanjay Lao submitted that there was a prior dispute between the parties, including the filing of cross cases. He informed the court that two rival complaints had been received and that FIRs would be registered accordingly. He further assured the court that the investigation would be conducted diligently, CCTV footage of the incident would be preserved, and a report would be submitted.

The DCP (North), who joined the proceedings virtually, confirmed that FIRs were being registered and assured the court that all necessary steps would be taken.

Additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, along with standing counsel Ashish Dixit, also confirmed a prior history between the parties.

Considering the contentions, the court also directed the Delhi Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the cross cases. “Please investigate the matter without pressure from any corner whatsoever, in an absolutely independent manner, so that we can unearth the truth. The investigation shall be conducted under the direct supervision of the DCP,” the court said in the order.

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