The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to initiate suo motu proceedings over alleged threatening remarks made by Delhi Police ACP Manasvi Vashishtha against members of the legal fraternity, asking the aggrieved lawyers to approach the Court through a formal petition.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma was hearing a mentioning by a group of advocates seeking judicial intervention over the alleged remarks attributed to the police officer.
The lawyers brought to the Court’s attention certain purported statements referring to the use of AK-47s and describing advocates as “Kaale coat ke gunde” (goons in black coats). Urging the Acting Chief Justice to take suo motu cognisance, one of the lawyers submitted that such intervention would reassure the legal fraternity.
The Bench, however, asked the advocates to place their grievances before the Court through a properly instituted petition, assuring them that the matter would be considered and listed for hearing once the necessary proceedings were filed.
“File a formal petition. We will look into it. We will order its listing,” the Bench said. It also directed the lawyers to furnish a copy of the petition to Delhi Police Standing Counsel (Criminal) Sanjay Lao.
Dispute Between Lawyers And Delhi Police
The controversy traces its origins to an incident on October 23, when advocate Lalit Bansal sustained serious head injuries in an alleged assault.
Following the incident, a group of lawyers approached the Shahdara police station seeking action against those allegedly involved. The advocates subsequently accused ACP Vashishtha and the then Station House Officer Arun Kumar of assuring them that the accused would be arrested, but alleged that the police later released them.
The lawyers further alleged that when they returned to the police station to question the handling of the matter, the ACP threatened and intimidated them, including by allegedly displaying her service revolver.
The incident triggered an indefinite strike by lawyers across several district courts in Delhi, with the legal fraternity demanding action against the police officers concerned.
Following the protests, ACP Vashishtha was transferred from the Gandhi Nagar subdivision, while SHO Arun Kumar was shifted from Shahdara police station on October 28. The lawyers subsequently called off their strike.
ACP Suspended After Police Personnel’s Protest
The controversy escalated further on November 2, when ACP Vashishtha joined a gathering of Delhi Police personnel outside the Police Headquarters. The personnel had assembled to protest the transfers and seek a meeting with Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar over the developments arising from the confrontation with lawyers.
The Ministry of Home Affairs subsequently placed Vashishtha under suspension on disciplinary grounds.
The High Court’s latest intervention follows the continuing tensions between sections of the legal fraternity and Delhi Police over the handling of the October 23 incident. The Court has indicated that it will examine the grievances once a formal petition is placed before it.
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