Tis Hazari scuffle: Petition filed in Delhi HC against protesting police personnel

NEW DELHI: A petition was filed in Delhi High Court on Thursday against the protest and dharna staged by police personnel in front of Delhi Police Headquarters at ITO and other places, in connection with the ongoing standoff between police and lawyers over the Tis Hazari scuffle, which took place on November 2.

The petition has requested for a direction to initiate a departmental inquiry against those police officials and personnel sitting on dharna, which is said to be in contravention to the law and take action against those police personnel.

The petition has sought action against high-ranking police officials including Delhi Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik, DIG, Arunachal Pradesh Madhur Verma, Deputy Commissioner of Police Aslam Khan, Meghna Yadav of National Police Academy, and NIA Supredentant of Police Sanjukta Prashar.

The development comes after a large group of police personnel gathered outside the Delhi Police headquarters to protest against the violence that ensued on Saturday and the assault on police officers by lawyers subsequently over a parking issue. The police personnel, in uniform, were seen wearing black bands to condemn the attacks on their ranks, news agency ANI had reported.

As the protest gathered momentum, DCP Patnaik was quoted by ANI as telling the police personnel, "We have to behave like a disciplined force. The government and the people expect us to uphold the law, it is our big responsibility. I urge you to resume duty."

Delhi Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik addresses the police personnel protesting at the Police Head Quarters (PHQ) in ITO: In last few days, there have been certain incidents in the capital which we handled very well. The situation is improving after that. pic.twitter.com/5OWey3TimM — ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2019

"The last few days have been testing for us. A judicial enquiry is underway and I request you to have faith in the process," he told the gathering.

According to reports, Patnaik on Thursday was expected to meet police personnel allegedly beaten up by protesting lawyers after clashes over a parking issue at the Tis Hazari Court complex on November 2.

Meanwhile, protesting lawyers continued to abstain from work even on Thursday. Abstinence from work in all Delhi District Courts will continue today. In order to ensure the success of the movement, all are requested to maintain the movement peacefully. Litigants be permitted to have access to the courtrooms, said Dhir Singh Kasana, Secretary-General, Coordination Committee of all district court Bar associations in Delhi.

The development comes a day after Delhi Police faced a major embarrassment as Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to give any clarification or modification of its earlier order saying that it was "self-explanatory" in connection with the Tis Hazari court incident.

The high court passed the order while hearing a petition filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in connection with the Tis Hazari incident. The division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Hari Shankar said that the order dated November 3 was only meant for the Tis Hazari incident on November 2 in which two FIRs were lodged.

The bench also said that the judicial inquiry panel, which was set up to look into the clash, would continue to function without any influence of the observation made by the court.

Lawyers said the order of the Delhi High Court was clear and there was no reason to file an application for seeking clarification. The Bar Council of India (BCI) told the bench that the police should not be given any further power to lodge FIRs in this matter before prior permission of the court or the judicial enquiry.

Two FIRs were registered in connection with the alleged assault of a police officer outside Saket district court here. Bar associations are opposing the MHA's application, filed on Tuesday, seeking clarification of the Delhi High Court`s order in which it had directed the Delhi Police to not take any coercive action against lawyers while directing Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to transfer Special Commissioner Sanjay Singh and Additional DCP Harinder Singh, in connection with the case.

The lawyers have been protesting against a clash between police and lawyers at Tis Hazari Court complex on November 2, which left at least 20 cops and several advocates injured.

A day later on November 3, a group of advocates had allegedly assaulted a policeman outside the Saket district court.