The Supreme Court on Friday pulled up both police and advocates and said that both sides were to blame for the November 2 clash outside Tis Hazari court in New Delhi, NDTV reported. The clash, which began over a parking dispute, led to injuries to around 30 people.
Following the incident, police personnel in Delhi organised a massive protest on Tuesday. This was followed by a lawyers’ protest on Wednesday, during which the advocates did not allow litigants to enter the courts either. There was also an incident outside the Saket district court on Tuesday, in which a lawyer elbowed and slapped a policeman and then flung a helmet at him.
“Nobody claps with one hand,” the Supreme Court observed on Friday. “Problems are from both sides. We don’t want to say more. We are silent for a reason. Nobody can say we acted in a certain way since they did that.” The Supreme Court also disagreed with the contention of the lawyers that the police had committed atrocities against them.
The Supreme Court made the remarks while hearing an unrelated case about a lawyers’ strike in Odisha. Bar Council of India Chairperson Manan Mishra told the court that the dispute between the police and lawyers in Delhi will be resolved within two days.
The Delhi High Court on November 3 ordered the setting up of a judicial inquiry to investigate the clash the previous day. It also directed that no case should be filed against lawyers involved in the clash, and transferred two senior police officials.
Meanwhile, CCTV footage that emerged on Thursday showed a group of people, purportedly lawyers, chasing senior police officer Monika Bhardwaj during the November 2 violence at the Tis Hazari court. Bhardwaj, who is the deputy commissioner of police for North Delhi, is seen in the video being shielded by her support staff and some lawyers even as they push back against those chasing her. A fire can be seen raging in the background. No separate first information report has been filed in this specific case of attack.
Now, follow and debate the day’s most significant stories on Scroll Exchange.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!