'Shootout at courts not first time', plea demands Delhi HC to tighten security

After an alleged gang war happened at Delhi's Rohini Court leaving a dreed gangster and two assailants de and a law intern injured, a petition has been filed before Delhi High Court seeking appropriate security measures across district courts in national capital. plea filed by Deepa Joseph through vocates Robin Raju and Blessan Maws sought directions to Delhi Police Commissioner and Bar Council of India (BCI) to take requisite measures that ensure safety and security of District Courts of Delhi.

Joseph in her plea also highlighted similar incidents of firing which took place in lower courts of Delhi in past. "It is also worth noting that incident of Friday is not first of its kind in Delhi. In recent past, re have been incidents of shooting in Dwarka Court, a firing near Saket Court in May 2019 and earlier in 2017, an undertrial was killed after being shot inside Rohini Court Complex. A shocking incident similar in line to incident in Rohini Court was killing of a Delhi Police he constable when four armed assailants open fired inside a courtroom at Karkardooma Court Complex in year 2015," plea said. 

Speaking about yesterday's incident, plea said, " incident that has happened on Friday, at Rohini Court, was truly well planned. assailants posed as lawyers and were present inside courtroom before dreed gangster was produced before Court. ease with which assailants entered into court premises in attire shows that y were well aware that it is easy to get access into court by being in a lawyers attire."

Highlighting lapses in court premises, petitioner said, " Petitioner as someone who visits district courts in Delhi has also seen how Police personnel present at court entrances more often than not step back from frisking a person who is in a lawyers attire. point that petitioner wishes to highlight is that level of frisking of lawyers also needs to be me at same level as in High Court of Delhi and Supreme Court of India. And in future, a decision can also be taken regarding installing a biometric punching device outside entrance gates of all courts."

petitioner knows that re may be a section of lawyers who will not appreciate this suggestion of petitioner, but petitioner is making this suggestion considering overall safety and security of judges, lawyers, court staff and litigants as a whole, Joseph said. 

Gangster Jitendra Gogi was shot de in a bro daylight shootout that took place in Rohini court today. Media portals have reported that apart from Gogi, three ors have been killed in shootout. assailants, who were dressed as lawyers, attacked Gogi when he was brought inside courtroom. Witnesses told media that judge and court staff were present while horrific incident took place. 

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has expressed his deep concerns at shootout in Delhi's Rohini Court, which took place earlier on Friday. In this regard, CJI spoke to Chief Justice of Delhi High Court D N Patel and vised him to speak to both police and Bar to ensure that functioning of court is not affected. It may be recalled that matter of safety and security of Court complexes and judicial personnel is alrey under scope of Supreme Court. In wake of Friday's incident, matter may be heard next week.

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