Rohini court shootout: Advocate moves SC for protection of judges, lawyers

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 25

A day after three people, including gangster Jitender Gogi, were killed in a shootout at the Rohini court complex in the national capital, a lawyer has moved the Supreme Court seeking concrete steps for protection of judicial officers, court staff and lawyers.

Petitioner Vishal Tiwari cited similar incidents in Bijnor, Barwani, Amritsar and Hisar to emphasise the fact that it was not the first incident of this kind.

”Such incidents are not only a threat to our Judicial officers, lawyers and people present in the court premises but it is also a threat to our justice system. The court is a place where people are in the shelter of law but they fall victim in courts of unlawful activities,” he said.

The issue of safety and security of court complexes and judicial officers is already under the consideration of the top court which is likely to take it up on a priority basis next week.

CJI NV Ramana had on Friday expressed deep concern at the Rohini Court Complex shootout. He had spoken to the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court in this regard and advised him to talk to both the police and the Bar to ensure that the functioning of court was not affected.

Tiwari demanded that hardcore criminals be produced through video conferencing before the trial courts from jails, instead of producing them physically in the courts.

He urged the top court to direct states to open armed police posts in District Court Complexes as also at the taluka level judiciary.

Security and CCTV Cameras should be installed in the District Court complexes of our country, so that every incident may be caught in its true Scene and occurrence, he demanded.

”In the rural areas and District Courts many litigants come with their aides in large numbers in order to pressurize the other side. Such unwanted mob or persons shall not be permitted with any litigant in the Court premises,” Tiwari submitted.