Bar Council of India moves Delhi HC seeking arrest, suspension of guilty cops in clash case

Submitting that it does not expect a fair police probe, bar councils on Sunday petitioned in the Delhi High Court to order suspension and immediate arrest of the guilty police officers, a judicial inquiry and compensation to injured advocates in the lawyer-cops clash case.

Around 20 police personnel including Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) and two Station House Officers (SHOs) and eight advocates sustained injuries in the scuffle which broke out between police and advocates

The petition was moved by Bar Council of India, Bar Council of Delhi, Delhi High Court Bar Association, and all bar associations of district courts.

In their petition, the councils requested the court to order a judicial enquiry by a former Supreme Court or High Court judge in the incident.

They also urged the court to issue an order for the immediate arrest of guilty police officials and to put them under suspension and to dismiss them if they are found guilty in course of judicial enquiry.

The bar councils sought the court's direction for at least Rs 10 lakh compensation to the advocate who has received gunshot injury on his chest near the shoulder and Rs 5 lakhs each to the other injured advocates.

They also demanded the registration of a case against the police officers under provisions of the Arms Act.

"We cannot expect an impartial and fair investigation at the hands of police in such matters where police officials themselves are the accused," the petition read.

Earlier today, the high court took cognizance of the case and issued notices to the Centre, the bar councils and the Delhi government in the case.

A total of four FIRs including cross FIRs from lawyers and the police have been registered in the case. The third FIR has been registered by a female lawyer against police for misbehaving and inappropriate gestures. The District Judge has also registered an FIR over-all chaos and clash, the police said.