The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued fresh notice to all Delhi District Court Bar Associations and sought their suggestions on the issue of maintaining safety and security at all court complexes in the national capital.

On September 30, the Division Bench led by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh had taken a suo moto cognisance in the wake of the shocking shootout that occurred inside the Rohini Court Complex on September 24, 2021, which left three people dead and one woman lawyer injured.

The Bench directed the Centre, the Delhi Government, the Delhi High Court Bar Association and all District Court Bar Associations to file their “valuable suggestions” in the form of an affidavit or report, pointing out measures imperative to ensure the safety and security of Advocates and other stakeholders in the court complexes in the city.

Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Centre as well as the Delhi Police Commissioner, informed the Bench that in pursuance of the previous order dated September 30, the Delhi Police Commissioner has already filed a report indicating suggestions in aid of formulating measures for maintaining safety and security at all court complexes in the national capital. The matter will be taken up next on October 12.

The Bench, on the last date of hearing, had stressed on the need for effective deployment of sufficient number of police personnel at all court complexes in Delhi. In addition, the Bench stated that there is a need for installation of more number of CCTV camera at all strategic points, along with a fool-proof entry system with installation of hi-tech metal detectors and baggage scanners at all the courts in Delhi, including the High Court.

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On the afternoon of September 24, wanted gangster Jitender alias Gogi, was shot inside Rohini Court by attackers who entered in the guise of lawyers. The incident happened in the Rohini Courtroom, when Gogi was presented before the judge.The Delhi Police Special Cell killed the two attackers, who are believed to be from the rival Tillu Tajpuria gang. Around 35-40 rounds were fired in the ensuing shootout, wherein three lives had been lost.

Following the incident, CJI N.V Ramana expressed deep concern at what had happened in Rohini Court Complex, and advised the Delhi High Court Chief Justice him to talk to both police and Bar to ensure that the functioning of court is not effected.It may be recalled that the  matter of safety and security of Court Complexes and judicial personnel is already under the consideration by the Apex Court.

The Delhi High Court today will take up its suo moto matter concerning the shocking shootout that occurred inside the Rohini Court Complex on September 24, 2021, which left three people dead and one woman lawyer injured.

The Bench led by the Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh had earlier issued notice upon the Delhi Police Commissioner, the Delhi Government, the Centre and the Delhi High Court Bar Association, among others, and directed the respondents to file suggestions in the form of the an affidavit or report in aid of formulating measures for maintaining safety and security at all court complexes in the national capital.

The Bench opined that there is a need for an effective deployment of sufficient number of police personnel at all court complexes in Delhi. In addition, the Bench stated that there is a need for installation of more number of CCTV camera at all strategic points, along with a fool-proof entry system with installation of hi-tech metal detectors and baggage scanners at all the courts in Delhi, including the High Court.

The Bench further opined that there is also a need for provision for Under Vehicle Surveillance System (UVSS).

On the afternoon of September 24, wanted gangster Jitender alias Gogi, was shot inside Rohini Court by attackers who entered in the guise of lawyers. The incident happened in the Rohini Courtroom, when Gogi was presented before the judge.

The Delhi Police Special Cell killed the two attackers, who are believed to be from the rival Tillu Tajpuria gang. Around 35-40 rounds were fired in the ensuing shootout, wherein three lives had been lost.

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Following the incident, CJI N.V Ramana expressed deep concern at what had happened in Rohini Court Complex, and advised the Delhi High Court Chief Justice him to talk to both police and Bar to ensure that the functioning of court is not effected.

It may be recalled that the matter of safety and security of Court Complexes and judicial personnel is already under the consideration by the Apex Court.

Read the order here;

The Delhi High Court on Thursday took suo motu cognisance in the wake of the shocking and gory shootout that occurred inside the Rohini Court Complex on September 24, which left three people dead and one woman lawyer injured.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh, issued notice to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the Delhi Government, the Centre and the Delhi High Court Bar Association, among others, and directed the respondents to file suggestions in the form of an affidavit or report on the issue of maintaining safety and security at all court complexes in the national capital.

“This court wants valuable suggestions from the respondents for security at all court complexes in Delhi… The respondents shall give their valuable suggestions in the form of an affidavit or report, so that immediately an order can be passed for better security to be installed at court complexes in Delhi,”

-noted the High Court.

Further, the Bench directed the respondents to exchange their suggestions inter-se, and especially with the Delhi Police Commissioner, the Delhi Government and the Centre, which are the authorities to implement the suggestions for ensuring better security at courts in Delhi.

The Bench opined that there is a need for an effective deployment of sufficient number of police personnel at all court complexes in Delhi. In addition, the Bench stated that there is a need for installation of more number of CCTV camera at all strategic points, along with a fool-proof entry system with installation of hi-tech metal detectors and baggage scanners at all courts in Delhi, including the High Court.

The Bench further opined that there is also a need for provision for Under Vehicle Surveillance System (UVSS). “Proper training to the police personnel who are deputed at court complexes is also required,” stated the Bench further. The matter will be taken up on October 5.

A similar plea was filed by Advocate Gaurav Mishra, seeking improvement of security arrangements in the District Court complexes in Delhi. The Bench refused to entertain the petition in light of the suo moto cognizance taken by the Court on the instant issue. However, liberty was reserved with the petitioner to file an intervention application in the cognisance taken by the Court on its own motion.

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On the afternoon of September 24, wanted gangster Jitender alias Gogi, was shot inside Rohini Court by attackers who entered in the guise of lawyers. The incident happened in the Rohini Courtroom, when Gogi was presented before the judge.

The Delhi Police Special Cell killed the two attackers, who are believed to be from the rival Tillu Tajpuria gang. Around 35-40 rounds were fired in the ensuing shootout, wherein three lives had been lost.

Following the incident, CJI N.V. Ramana expressed deep concern at what had happened in Rohini Court Complex, and advised the Delhi High Court Chief Justice him to talk to both police and Bar to ensure that the functioning of court is not effected. The matter of safety and security of Court Complexes and judicial personnel is already under consideration by the Apex Court.

In the wake of shootout at the Rohini Court Complex, which led to death of three people and injury to a woman lawyer on Friday, a petition has been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking security measures in subordinate courts.

The application, filed by Advocate Vishal Tiwari through in-person in a pending PIL, sought directions for the protection of judicial officers, Advocates and legal fraternity as a whole, to enforce the Right to Life and Safety, as enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution.

According to the application, “The Subordinate Courts in our country have, on several occasions, turned into a place of crime as recently on September 24, 2021, the shootout in Rohini court of Delhi is an example. Two armed men opened fire inside Delhi’s Rohini court on Friday, killing dreaded jailed gangster Jitender Maan alias Gogi. Members of the Delhi Police Special Cell’s Counter Intelligence team, who were accompanying Gogi, shot dead the assailants, with 27 bullets in all fired inside the courtroom. In a major security lapse, the men — believed to belong to a rival gang headed by Sunil alias Tillu Tajpuriya — managed to sneak into the courtroom with a .38 bore pistol and another of .30 bore posing as lawyers. Gogi received five-six bullet injuries, and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.

While alleging that it is not the first incident, wherein the Subordinate courts have witnessed such killing and attacks, Tiwari mentioned that in December 2019, a man accused of double murder was shot dead inside a courtroom in western Uttar Pradesh, as court proceedings were going on. The shooting occurred during the production of prisoner Shanawaz Ansari before the Chief Judicial Magistrate at the Bijnor district court.

Similarly in October 2017, two men accused of murdering a Bhartiya Janshakti Party leader in 2008 were shot at and critically injured inside a courtroom in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh. On January 24, 2017, 57-year-old lawyer Subhash Gupta was murdered in broad daylight in Hisar town of Haryana on Tuesday afternoon, when he was on his way to home from the court complex.

The petitioner further alleged that not only there have been murders and killings, but there have incidents where one party has attacked and injured their rival and opposite litigant in order to pressurise, terrorise and compel the other party for compromise.

“The litigants, who fight for a right cause and justice, are targeted and become victims of violence in the court premises when they attend the court hearings. The lone litigants are attacked by mobs or gangs with the motive that they will in fear leave the litigation. The atmosphere of our subordinate courts has become very dangerous for litigants.

“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,” said the petition.

Tiwari emphasised that apart from securing the person of judges and judicial officers against any threat to life, it is also important that the premises of the courts and entire court complex are secured against any attack by the militants or other criminals.

“With hundreds of cases to be disposed of, there are always huge crowds in the court complex and in the halls where litigants, lawyers, court staff, judges, visitors, witnesses and many others have to come, meet, talk and examine. In such a situation, security becomes vulnerable, if adequate measures are not in place. It is easy for the criminals to mix up in the crowds to hide their identity and then cause a grave situation, disrupting the peaceful environment in which the judges are supposed to carry out their work,” it added.

In lights of above facts, Advocate Tewari prayed for the following directions:-

i. The Union and all respondents/respective States shall take immediate steps and measures for the security of Subordinate Courts in their regions.
ii. The hardcore criminals/dreaded gangsters, instead of producing them physically in the trial courts, may be produced through video-conferencing before the trial courts from jails;
iii. The remote areas and several district courts of the respective states do not have any kind of Armed police post, which may keep vigil during the court hours and act as a security to the judges, lawyers, court staff and litigants. The Directions may be issued to the respective States for Opening the Armed police post in the District Court Complexes and also at the Taluka level judiciary. 
iv. There are many District courts which do not have CCTV Cameras. Such security and CCTV Cameras shall be installed in the District Court complexes of our Country , So that every incident may be caught in its true Scene and occurrence. 
v. In the rural areas and District Courts, many litigants come with their aides in large numbers, in order to pressurise the other side. Such unwanted mobs or persons shall not be permitted with any litigant in the Court premises.

Following the shocking shootout inside the Rohini Court Complex, leading to death of three people and injury to a woman lawyer, the Delhi High Court was moved by a petition that sought directions to the Police Commissioner of Delhi as well as the Bar Council of Delhi, to take requisite measures to ensure safety and security of District Courts in the national capital.

Filed by one Deepa Joseph through Advocates Robin Raju and Blessan Mathews, the plea averred, “The incident that happened on Friday at Rohini Court, was truly well-planned. The assailants posed as lawyers and were present inside the court room before the dreaded gangster was produced before the Court. The ease with which the assailants entered the court premises shows that they were well aware that it is easy to get access into the court by donning a lawyers attire.”

Alleging that the incident is not the first-of-its-kind and that similar incidents have happened repeatedly over the recent past in various District Courts across the national capital, the plea suggested certain directions that could be passed to ensure security of District Courts, which inter-alia includes strict instructions to all the police personnel deployed at court entrances to ensure that they check the ID Cards of each and every lawyer who enters the court premises; as also to make the level of security and frisking of lawyers at par with the Delhi High Court and the Apex Court, and to ponder over the decision on installation of biometric punching device outside the entrance gates of all the Courts.

The plea further suggested strict disciplinary action against those officers, who do not implement the direction with utmost diligence and seriousness. Keeping in view Article 21 of the Constitution, which secures right to life to all citizens, the plea suggested that BCD should issue an advisory to all Delhi District Bar Associations to ask members of their Bars to cooperate with police personnel at the main entrance of courts.

“Recurrent incidents of shootouts in court premises is causing serious fear in the minds of petitioners and thousands of other fellow legal professionals practising in District courts of Delhi,” noted the petition.

On September 24, wanted gangster Jitender alias Gogi was shot inside the Rohini Court by assailants, who entered the court premises in the guise of lawyers. The incident happened in Rohini Courtroom, when Gogi was presented before the judge. The Delhi Police Special Cell killed the two attackers, who are believed to be from the rival Tillu Tajpuria gang.

Around 35-40 rounds were fired in the ensuing shootout, which left three people dead and one woman lawyer injured. Following the incident, Chief Justice (CJI) N.V. Ramana expressed deep concern at the incident and advised the Delhi High Court Chief Justice him to talk to both police and Bar to ensure that the functioning of court is not effected. The matter of safety and security of Court Complexes and judicial personnel is already under consideration by the Apex Court.

Read the petition here: