New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday issued show cause notices to two lawyers asking them why criminal contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for allegedly abusing and manhandling persons from the Northeast, including a woman advocate, inside a district court premises here.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw said prima facie criminal contempt is made out against the two lawyers and others who had allegedly abused and manhandled the persons from Northeastern India.
"Having regard to the facts and circumstances, this court is prima facie satisfied that the alleged acts against the respondents (two lawyers) are of such nature prejudicing and interfering with the due course of judicial proceeding and administration of justice.
"Therefore, issue notice to the respondents herein, returnable by August 11, 2014, to show cause as to why charges should not be framed for initiation of proceedings for criminal contempt as provided under the Contempt of Courts Act," the bench said.
The court also sought a status report from Delhi government on the steps taken by them after registration of FIR against the two lawyers, Azad Chandra Prakash Gautam and Varun Kumar Jain.
It also sought a comprehensive and detailed report about the incident which had occurred on May 23, 2014 at Tis Hazari court premises.
The court also sought a report from the Tis Hazari court about the present status of the proceedings in a molestation case which had led to the incident of May 23.
The order was passed by the court after perusing the affidavits filed by the victims of the assault and another lawyer who was representing the victim in the molestation case.
The affidavits were filed after the court had yesterday asked the petitioners to make specific allegations against the two accused lawyers.
