A group of lawyers allegedly assaulted the friend of a woman, who had filed a molestation complaint against an advocate, at the Tis Hazari court on Friday.
According to police, the 38-year-old woman, who hails from Nagaland, had lodged a police complaint claiming that a lawyer had molested and slapped her outside the Vishwavidyalaya Metro station in North Delhi on Thursday night.
On Friday afternoon, when the accused lawyer, Inder Narayan, was produced before a magistrate at the Tis Hazari court, a group of lawyers allegedly assaulted the victim?s friend, who is also from the Northeast, inside the court room.
Narayan has been given bail in the molestation case.
According to police, on Thursday night, the woman was returning home when Narayan allegedly passed lewd remarks. The victim told police that when she protested, Narayan slapped her. ?First he passed some comments about me and when I objected, he came close and molested me. I raised the alarm. Passers-by near the Metro station station came to my help and nabbed him. He was later handed over to the local police,? the victim said.
On Friday afternoon, the woman came to the court accompanied by her lawyers and friends. One of her friends, J Mavio Woba, a student activist, was allegedly slapped by a lawyer inside the court room.
Other lawyers also assaulted Mavio claiming that Narayan was being framed. The court staff immediately called the Inspector in-charge of the Tis Hazari police chowki. A police team came and led the woman and her friends out of the court. Her statement was recorded in the magistrate?s chamber.
Advocate Dmitry, counsel of the woman, said, ?The lawyers were unruly and violent. They even tore the shirt of the investigating officer. Police advised us not to aggravate the situation by insisting on a complaint against them on the court premises. It was good advice as the lawyers were about 20-30 in number and were getting violent. They threw ink on the files of the investigating officer and tore his shirt. The IO was rescued by us and we left through the rear gate.?
Mavio, who was injured, was taken to a nearby hospital for a medical examination. Until late evening, police were yet to file an FIR regarding the incident.
Sandeep Goel, Joint Commissioner of Police (Central) said, ? We are looking into the facts regarding the Friday incident.?
R N Vats, president of the Delhi Bar Association said, ?I do not have all the facts of the case. From what I have heard, there was a minor argument between the accused lawyer?s friends and the family of the prosecutrix. Nothing more happened in the court.?
Late on Friday, student activists belonging to Northeast Union held protests outside the Sabzi Mandi police station demanding the arrest of the lawyers.
– Prawesh Lama
