Another attack on judicial officer in Bihar, Patna HC takes cognisance

Additional district and session judge Jai Kishore Dubey of Hilsa court in Nalanda district and his driver Sanjay Prasad were attacked by some bikers.

Three days after the Supreme Court sought the Bihar government’s response to a plea demanding judicial inquiry into an alleged attack on Aurangabad district judge by a police sub-inspector, the Patna high court took cognisance of another case of alleged assault on the judicial officer at Hilsa in Nalanda district of the state.

Patna high court took up the case suo moto following news reports. (HT Photo)

A bench of chief justice Sanjay Karol and justice S Kumar directed the Bihar government as well as the state police chief to file a complete action taken report before December 23. The court was hearing the matter suo moto following news reports.

“Upon information received from the concerned officer, the Nalanda police lodged an FIR under Sections 341/323/504/427/307/506/34 of the IPC and further states that no incident of firing of gunshots (was reported),” Bihar advocate general had said before the hearing.

He further stated that an investigation was on and the police authorities shall ensure that action per law is taken against the assailants on an expeditious basis.

Earlier on Thursday, additional district and session judge (ADJ-1) Jai Kishore Dubey of Hilsa court and his driver Sanjay Prasad came under attack from some bikers on the Yogipur stretch when the ADJ was on the way to his official residence.

Meanwhile, Bihar police headquarters claimed that the incident of firing at the spot where ADJ’s vehicle was attacked was not related.

On Wednesday, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by justice AM Khanwilkar had issued notice to the Bihar government on a petition demanding a judicial probe into an attack by a police sub inspector on district judge Dr Dinesh Kumar Pradhan. The court also posted the case for further hearing after four weeks.

The accused sub-inspector, Pranav Kumar, of the Town police station was impleaded as a party as per the court’s order to the petitioner, advocate Vishal Tiwari, to do so at the last hearing.

The SI, accompanied by paramilitary personnel on October 21, had allegedly threatened, abused and chased Dr Dinesh Kumar Pradhan when he was out on an evening walk.

The plea stated that the sub-inspector was accompanied by paramilitary personnel on a flag march when he attacked Dr Pradhan. It alleged that the attack was an act of retaliation against the judicial officer for finding the sub inspector and some other officials guilty of ‘dereliction of duty’ when he was the Aurangabad judicial magistrate a few months ago.

The secretary of Bihar Judicial Services Association, Ajit Kumar Singh, had written a letter to the director general of police, Bihar on October 24, seeking action against the erring officers, but no step was taken yet in connection with the incident, the petition has stated.

Tiwari has sought setting up of a two-member inquiry commission comprising sitting judges of Patna high court to probe the alleged incident and submit a report before the Supreme Court.

He has prayed for directions to be issued to Bihar police for registering an FIR in the case and for orders to be issued to all States to “take measures for the safety and security of the judicial officers of the subordinate judiciary in their respective states.”