Delhi: Rohini court lawyers to strike on Monday, bar police entry over ‘assault’ on advocate

The Rohini Court Bar Association has called for a complete abstention from judicial work at the district court complex on Monday to protest against the alleged manhandling and physical assault of an advocate at a police station.

It also said that no police official of any district will be allowed to enter the court premises that day.

In a notice dated October 3 and signed by Bar president Rajiv Tehran and honorary secretary Pardeep Khatri said Advocate Kamaldeep was allegedly manhandled and assaulted at the Mahendra Park police station on September 29.

The notice said the Bar’s executive committee took up the matter with the joint commissioner of police, the DCP (North-West) and the principal district and sessions judge, North-West district, and also spoke to the senior police officers concerned.

“During these interactions, assurances were given by the DCP that strong and appropriate action would be taken against the erring police officials,” the notice said.

However, instead of action against the police personnel, a case was subsequently registered against Kamaldeep, and the senior police officers did not inform the executive committee about it despite the assurances, the association alleged.

The executive committee termed the conduct “not merely an instance of police high-handedness and intimidation of a practising advocate” but also a serious breach of the trust reposed by the Bar in the assurances given by the senior police authorities. It described the manner in which the matter had proceeded as “back-stabbing of the entire legal fraternity”.

The association “strongly condemns the conduct of the Delhi Police and the concerned DCP, North-West district, for misleading the executive committee”, the notice said.

It added that the dignity, safety and professional independence of advocates “cannot be compromised”, and any attempt to intimidate a practising advocate would be resisted by the bar “through all lawful means”.

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The executive committee resolved that there shall be complete abstention from judicial work at the Rohini Courts on Monday, October 5, “as a mark of protest against the incident and the subsequent action”.

“Further, no police official of any district shall be permitted to enter the Rohini Court premises, including the Nayab Court, on the said day,” the notice said.

All members of the Bar have been asked to remain united and extend full cooperation in observing the decision.