No ‘coercive action’ against cops booked for Tis Hazari court violence; lawyers suspend strike

A case had been registered against the two policemen for allegedly firing at lawyers and forcibly bringing one of them inside the court’s lock-up.

The Delhi high court on Friday directed authorities not to take ‘coercive action’ against the two police officers who were booked in connection with the clash between lawyers and police at the Tis Hazari court complex on November 2.

Lawyers across the six district courts, who were on a strike since November 4, on Friday suspended their strike. (Photo by Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times)

A case had been registered against the two policemen for allegedly firing at lawyers and forcibly bringing one of them inside the court’s lock-up.

Following the high court order, the Delhi District Bar Co-ordination Committee on Friday evening announced that they would suspend their ongoing protest. Lawyers across six district courts in Delhi had abstained from work since November 4, demanding action against Delhi Police personnel.

On November 2, a parking dispute between an on-duty policeman and a lawyer had triggered a clash between the two sides at the court complex, leaving over 20 police personnel and several advocates injured. Advocates then abstained from work demanding the arrest of the two policemen.

The representatives of the Delhi Police and lawyer groups met twice since then to resolve issues but the talks bore no fruit and the advocates were continuing with their strike.

On Friday, a bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice C Hari Shankar issued notices and sought responses from the Centre, the Delhi Police, Bar Council of India (BCI) and other bar associations on a plea from two assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) seeking protection from coercive action in the FIRs registered against them till a judicial inquiry into the incident is completed.

The court was hearing pleas filed by Asis Kanta Prasad Yadav and Pawan Kumar, in which they also sought the quashing of a November 11 order passed by a trial court. The two are currently under suspension.

On November 11, an additional chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) directed the police to file a status report on the investigation into the clash by November 20.

The police officers have also sought a stay on the trial court’s order and the proceedings in the matter till the pendency of a judicial inquiry, which was ordered by the high court on November 3.

The judicial inquiry will be headed by a retired high court judge, assisted by director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, director of the Intelligence Bureau and central vigilance commissioner. The report is to be submitted to the high court within six weeks.

During the hearing Friday, advocate Rajdipa Behura, representing the ASIs, also urged advocates to call off the strike. She said the standoff between advocates and the police was harming both institutions.

Dhir Singh Kasana, the secretary general of the coordination committee of all district courts, said a decision was taken to “respect” the HC direction that no coercive action would be taken against two policemen until the next hearing.

Kasana did not term the decision a “call off” of the strike. “The abstinence from work has been suspended,” he said. “All depends on the outcome of the meetings of lawyer bodies. We continue to demand the Advocate Protection Bill for a safer working environment,” he said.

One such meeting on Saturday will determine whether the lawyers will continue with the planned protest march from Patiala House court to Parliament House next Wednesday, Kasana said.

(With inputs from agencies)