NEW DELHI: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking criminal action against suspended Delhi Police ACP Manasvi Vashishta and other police officials for allegedly making threats against lawyers.
A group of lawyers earlier in the day urged a bench of acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma to take “suo-motu cognisance” of the “conduct of ACP Vashishta” for allegedly threatening lawyers. The bench asked the lawyers to file a “formal petition”, saying that it will look into the matter.
The plea filed before the court claimed that the police officials issued a public threat that “an AK-47 rifle would be used against advocates.” The plea is likely to come up for hearing tomorrow.
Earlier in the day, Rohini Court Bar Association withdrew its call for abstention from work after suspension of the ACP.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the high court refused to initiate suo-motu proceedings of the police conduct.
“You file a formal petition. We are a court of record, and we must have something before us. What is suo-motu? We are telling you whatever material is there with you, give it in the form of a petition and submit it with the registry so that it can be brought before the court for looking into it. Do it, and we will look into it,” the bench told the lawyers.
The counsel told the court that remarks like “use of AK-47” and “kale coat ke gunde (goons in black coats)” were used against the lawyers.
“You are our chief. If you take suo-motu cognisance of the issue, we will be assured,” a counsel told Justice Sambre.
Around hundred police personnel held a protest outside Delhi Police headquarters (PHQ) on Monday morning against the transfer of two of their colleagues, including ACP Vashishta, following a confrontation between cops and lawyers at a police station last month.
The agitation followed a protest by the lawyers in Delhi courts over the Police’s alleged high-handedness towards lawyers that ended after the transfer of ACP Vashistha and Shahdara Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Arun Kumar.
Vashishta has now been suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs.