Lawyers at Rohini court will abstain from judicial work on Monday and not allow any police official from any district to enter the court premises in protest against the alleged assault of an advocate at Mahendra Park police station last week, the court’s bar association announced on Sunday .
A cross FIR had subsequently been lodged by the Delhi Police after the police officers lodged a case against the lawyer in relation to the same incident. The case has been lodged against the lawyer under the same sections as against the police officers. The association further asked all its members to remain united and observe Monday’s abstention. “The restriction on police entry will also apply to the naib court (a police officer deployed inside court).
This comes after advocate Kamaldeep alleged that he was manhandled and assaulted by police personnel at the Mahendra Park police station on September 29. The incident took place on September 29 when Kamaldeep went to Mahendra Park police station with his client to get the client’s motorcycle released.
The bar association has accused senior police officers of initially assuring it that “strong and appropriate action” would be taken against the erring officials but subsequently registering a case against the lawyer. The association described the conduct as not merely an instance of “police high-handedness and intimidation” of a practising advocate, but also a “serious breach of the trust” reposed in the police authorities. It said the manner in which the matter proceeded amounted to a “back-stabbing of the entire legal fraternity”. No police personnel will not be permitted to enter the complex even for hearings on that day,” it said.
HT had reported on Friday that disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against the two head constables, who were sent to district lines. Its executive committee took up the matter with the joint commissioner of police, DCP (northwest), principal district and sessions judge, and other senior police officers after the incident, according to the bar association’s notice issued on Sunday.
“The committee was shocked to learn that, instead of strict action against the policemen, a subsequent case was registered against Kamaldeep, and that this development was not disclosed to the Bar despite assurances given by senior officers,” the association said.
