Delhi High Court Starts Hearing On Tis Hazari Court Clash, Issues Notices To Govt, Bar Councils

The Delhi High Court on Sunday issued notices to the central government, Bar Council of India, Bar Council of Delhi, Delhi government, all bar associations of district courts of Delhi and Delhi High Court Bar Association, over the clash between lawyers and police at Tis Hazari Court on Saturday. 

Delhi High Court decided to take up for hearing the issue pertaining to the clash between lawyers and police which resulted in injuries to several persons. Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports on the incident, the court initiated proceedings at 1 pm, Registrar General (RG) Dinesh Kumar Sharma said. He said a closed-door meeting was held in the morning by Chief Justice D N Patel and senior most judges of the high court. The meeting was also attended by senior police officers and additional chief secretary of the Delhi government, the RG said.

After the meeting got over, the court decided to hold a hearing on Sunday afternoon, he said.

On Saturday, the high court had held an over five-hour long meeting on the clash between the lawyers and police.

The meeting, which got over around 9.40 pm, was also attended by the joint commissioner of police, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) and the additional chief secretary of Delhi as directed by the chief justice, the RG had said.

In the meeting, the senior police officers had said that an FIR was lodged and investigation was on.

The RG said the chief justice has taken a "very serious view" of the matter and that the high court is"deeply concerned about the safety of litigants and lawyers". He had said the high court would be keeping a very close eye on the entire incident to ensure action is taken against all the guilty persons.

Lawyers and police had clashed at Tis Hazari Court complex here on Saturday afternoon during which at least 10 police personnel and several lawyers were injured while 17 vehicles vandalised, according to officials and eyewitnesses.

Lawyers had claimed that four of their colleagues were injured, including one in police firing, but the police denied that it had opened fire.

The injured included Additional Commissioner of Police (North District) Harinder Kumar, SHOs of Kotwali and civil lines, and the operator of deputy commissioner of police (north), police alleged.