Judge threatened, abused by convict after guilt verdict in Delhi court

A Delhi court judge was threatened and assaulted by Raj Singh after he was found guilty in a cheque bounce case; he received 22 months in prison.

A man threatened, verbally abused and threw an object at a Delhi court judge inside a courtroom after being found guilty in a cheque bounce case earlier this month.

On April 2, the judicial officer also said in the court that she is contemplating moving a complaint before the National Commission for Women. (Representational image)

Raj Singh, a resident of Dwarka, was being tried under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act in a Dwarka court on April 2 after a cheque he issued were not honoured by his bank. Judge Shivangi Mangla found him guilty of the charges and scheduled a hearing for April 5 to decide the quantum of punishment.

An angry Singh threatened the judge of consequences if she did not acquit him in the case. In her order on April 2, the judicial officer recorded how Singh, along with his lawyer, threatened her of dire consequences and said they would even file a complaint against her and force her to resign.

“Tu hai kya cheez. Tu bahar mil dekhte hai kaise zinda ghar jaati hai (Who do you think you are? Meet us outside and we’ll see how you will reach home alive.),” the order quoted the man as saying during the proceedings. “The accused was also holding some object and he tried to throw it at the judge for not passing order in his favour,” the order added.

Mangla referred the matter to the principal district and sessions judge of Dwarka court , who will forward the case to the Delhi high court for initial criminal contempt proceedings against the accused,the magistrate noted in her sentence order on April 5.

On April 2, the judicial officer also said in the court that she is contemplating moving a complaint before the National Commission for Women, refusing to let go off the incident saying itamounts to inflicting mental and physical harassment on her.

The order called for an explanation from the lawyer on his client’s conduct , which was submitted on April 5 when the court convened for sentencing.The judge sentenced Singhto imprisonment of 22 months along with a fine of ₹6 lakh in the cheque bounce case.

To be sure, for cheque bounce offence, a convicted person can get a maximum imprisonment of up to two years and a fine twice the cheque amount, or both.