Mehmood Pracha accuses Delhi Police of harassment, alleges fresh raid at office

In December, the special cell conducted searches at Pracha’s office in Nizamuddin in connection with a case filed against him. A video of the raid, which showed police and Pracha arguing inside his office, was widely circulated on social media

Senior advocate Mehmood Pracha, who represents many 2020 Delhi riot victims and accused, said the Delhi Police on Tuesday again raided his office. He called the raid harassment and added the police’s special cell deliberately chose Tuesday for it as they knew he would be away for them to seize his computers and documents.

Representational image.

“I had to be in court in a case related to the same agency [special cell]. I had to come to court to cross-examine one of their officers. The officer in the case is the same who has ordered the raids. They took a warrant and had two weeks to raid my office, but they chose to do it today [Tuesday]. They were aware that I would be in court.”

In December, the special cell conducted searches at Pracha’s office in Nizamuddin in connection with a case filed against him. A video of the raid, which showed police and Pracha arguing inside his office, was widely circulated on social media. Citing client-attorney privilege, Pracha refused to show some papers then. Police had accused Pracha of threatening them and misbehaviour.

Pracha filed a police complaint that imposters posing as police personnel visited his office and took crucial information related to the Delhi riots from his computers. Police had then denied this and said they had a court order to conduct searches and seize evidence.

The Delhi Police filed a case against Pracha on August 22 after a riot victim told a court that he allegedly asked him to depose falsely and frame three persons.

Pracha, who denied the allegations and accused police of filing false cases to intimidate him as he is defending some riot accused, was a prominent face of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act that preceded the riots.

Delhi Police officers were immediately unavailable for comments. The copy will be updated when they respond to Pracha’s fresh allegations.