New Delhi, 27 October (H.S.): The ongoing confrontation between lawyers and the Delhi Police has escalated, with the Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi announcing an indefinite strike across all district courts in the national capital from Wednesday. Lawyers have resolved to abstain entirely from judicial work until their demands are addressed.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the coordination committee held via video conference on Tuesday, following the one-day strike announced on October 26. The committee made it clear that the impasse would continue until its concerns over the Shahdara police station incident and the safety of advocates were resolved.

On Tuesday, bar associations representing Delhi’s district courts boycotted judicial proceedings in protest against the alleged mistreatment and threats directed at lawyers at Shahdara police station. Advocates from Karkardooma Court also staged a demonstration outside the office of the Joint Commissioner of Police for eastern Delhi, demanding the immediate suspension of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manasvi Vashishtha and the station house officer (SHO) concerned until an impartial investigation is completed.

The dispute stems from an incident in which advocate Lalit Bansal sustained a serious head injury. The coordination committee has alleged that the police failed to take appropriate action against those accused in the assault. It further alleged that lawyers who subsequently visited the police station to seek action were subjected to threatening behaviour.

The committee said the severity of Bansal’s injuries warranted prompt, effective and impartial action by the police authorities. On the evening of October 23, several advocates visited Shahdara police station and sought legal action against those allegedly responsible for the assault.

According to the committee, the ACP and the station house officer assured the lawyers that the individuals concerned would be arrested. However, when advocates returned to the police station on October 24, they learnt that the accused had not been arrested, triggering widespread resentment among members of the Bar.

The committee further alleged that when the lawyers returned to question the police response and demand accountability, ACP Manasvi Vashishtha displayed her revolver and threatened those present.

The coordination committee has demanded the immediate suspension of the ACP and the SHO concerned pending an impartial inquiry. It has maintained that lawyers seeking lawful action and accountability should not face intimidation while pursuing justice for a fellow advocate.

With the announcement of an indefinite strike from Wednesday, the dispute has entered a more serious phase, raising the prospect of prolonged disruption to judicial proceedings across Delhi’s district courts.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar