Bihar: Madhubani judge roughed up by two cops

PATNA/MADHUBANI: Two sub-inspector rank police officers – Gopal Krishna and Abhimanyu Sharma – allegedly assaulted additional district judge-I, Avinash Kumar, physically inside his chamber in Jhanjharpur sub-divisional court in Madhubani district around 2pm on Thursday.
Lawyers and judicial staff rescued the ADJ and held the two police officers hostage. Krishna is the station house officer of Ghoghardiha police station in Madhubani, while Sharma is his subordinate.
The ADJ had ordered special training for Madhubani SP and SDPO earlier this year for their “poor knowledge” while denying bail in a case which he had termed as rape case but police had not filed chargesheet invoking POCSO Act. Patna high court had seized his judicial powers on September 24 for his “unusual” judgments.
At the time of filing of report, the SIs were still kept confined in a room inside the court premises by lawyers. Senior authorities, including Darbhanga range IG Ajitabh Kumar, were at the spot to pacify the lawyers.
Patna high court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol took suo moto cognizance of the incident and formed a special division bench to hear the matter.
Late in the night, state police ADG (headquarters) J S Gangwar had to physically appear before the bench of Justice Rajan Gupta and Justice Mohit Kumar Shah which heard the matter and described the incident as an attempt to “jeopardise the independence of judiciary”.
“The DGP is directed to remain present in the court on the next date of hearing on November 29. He should file a status report in a sealed cover,” the bench observed.
Meanwhile, Darbhanga range IG told TOI over phone that the ADJ has lodged an FIR against both SIs for assaulting him physically and with their weapons.