New Delhi [India], October 27 (ANI): Lawyers across all district courts in Delhi observed a one-day strike and abstained from judicial work on Tuesday, protesting alleged police intimidation and the registration of an FIR against advocates at Shahdara Police Station.
The protest follows an alleged incident of intimidation involving an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), after lawyers approached him and the concerned SHO over the release of accused persons in a case linked to a fight between lawyers on October 23.
Speaking to ANI, Secretary of the Rouse Avenue Court Bar Association, Vijay Bishnoi said the association called an emergency meeting after learning that an FIR had been registered against some lawyers at Shahdara police station on Monday. He said the association subsequently looked into the circumstances that led to the case.
“We called an emergency meeting after we found out that an FIR was filed yesterday against some of our members (lawyers) at the Shahdara police station. When we looked into it and took cognizance, we wanted to find out what started this. We found out that on the 23rd October, some lawyers got into a fight and one lawyer got his head busted. We've also circulated a photo of it along with yesterday's circular resolution,” he said.
Bishnoi said the lawyers had filed an FIR in connection with the October 23 incident, in which one lawyer allegedly sustained a head injury.
“Lawyers filed an FIR, and the accused in that case were at the police station at the time. Both the ACP and the concerned SHO assured that the accused would be arrested. After the lawyers filed their case, one of them went to get a copy of the FIR on the 24th Oct. That's when they found out that out of all the accused were let go,” he said.
Alleging that the police officer threatened the lawyers when they approached senior police officials to raise their grievances.
“After that, when he met the SHO and ACP in the evening to voice his grievances, just look at the ACP's nerve—he's loading his revolver, showing it off, and threatening the lawyers. He's justifying his actions and provoking people in certain ways,” Bishnoi said.
“I will always urge the Delhi Police Commissioner and Amit Shah ji to never give an officer like this a sensitive posting for the rest of their career,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the Coordination Committee of the Delhi Bar Association called for an abstention from judicial work in protest of the registration of an FIR and alleged threats against advocates at Shahdara Police Station.
A circular for abstention was issued on Monday evening by advocate Neeraj, Chairman of the Coordination Committee, after a meeting of the Committee resolving to abstain from judicial work and demanding immediate suspension of the ACP and SHO of Shahdara Police Station.
The circular mentioned that the matter originated from an FIR concerning an incident in which Advocate Lalit Bansal sustained a serious head injury following an assault. Advocate Amulya Ratan is the complainant in the said matter.
The Coordination Committee resolved to demand the immediate suspension of ACP Manasvi Vashishta and the concerned SHO, pending an impartial inquiry. (ANI)
Lawyers strike across Delhi district courts over alleged police intimidation
