HC concerned over security lapse

Delhi High Court today expressed concern over a security lapse in the court premises after a man was allowed to enter the main building without an entry pass saying he could have been a "terrorist".
"You could have been a terrorist," a bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva remarked after making some queries to the man.
The issue came to light after the person was caught recording court proceedings, with his mobile, in a matter relating to annulment of tender of two Chhattisgarh mines for which Jindal Power Ltd had put in the winning bid.
The court staff had confiscated the mobile phone of the individual, who claimed to be a resident of Dwarka.

On being questioned by the bench about purpose of his presence in court, he said he came only to see the proceedings as he was interested.
He also said that he meant no harm or ill will to anyone.

While the bench said it was not bothered by his recording of the proceedings, as it was a public hearing, it was concerned over the "security lapse" which allowed him to enter the court premises and the room without a pass.
It asked him whether the policemen on duty had checked him, to which he said they were busy.
Additional Solicitors General Sanjay Jain and P S Narasimha as well as other senior lawyers, however, objected to the recording saying their sensitive and official files could also be recorded.

Senior advocate Rajiv Nayar also said that frisking of people as well as checking of cars by security personnel "has become lax".
"Anyone wearing a lawyer's robe or coat can just walk in," he claimed.