NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Police to promptly assess and act on a protection plea by National Students Union of India (NSUI) leader and former Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) president Ronak Khatri, who alleged receiving extortion threats from gangster Rohit Godara. The court said that since Khatri perceives a threat to his life, police must take immediate measures to ensure his safety.
Justice Ravindra Dudeja issued the direction while closing Khatri’s petition, in which he sought urgent security cover after allegedly receiving a WhatsApp call demanding Rs 5 crore. “It is the duty of the State to ensure protection of the life of all citizens. Since the petitioner perceives threat to life, the DCP Outer North and DCP Special Cell are directed to expedite the request for police protection,” the court said.
The court instructed that a beat constable and the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) visit Khatri daily until the Special Cell completes a detailed threat perception assessment. The officers have also been asked to respond to any distress call that Khatri might make. “The beat constables and SHO shall be duly counselled to attend the call if made (to the) petitioner. It is further directed that the beat constable shall visit the petitioner at least once for the next two weeks to ensure his well being,” the Court added.
According to Khatri, on September 29, he received a WhatsApp call from a Ukraine-based number by a person identifying himself as gangster Rohit Godara, who threatened to kill him if he failed to pay Rs 5 crore.
Representing the Delhi government, Standing Counsel Sanjay Lao told the court that Khatri has already been provided the phone number of the beat constable. He added that the NSUI leader’s application for police protection has been forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) and is now under consideration by the Special Cell.
“We can send one beat constable to his house everyday to assess if he is in trouble. The call (on extending police protection) has to be taken by Special Cell,” Lao said.