The Supreme Court on November 26 directed a petitioner, who sought initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against a police officer for allegedly assaulting a District judge in Aurangabad in Bihar last month, to include the name of the cop in his plea.
A Bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Ajay Rastogi asked the petitioner to amend the plea and include the name of police official who is accused of assaulting judicial officer Dinesh Pradhan, and posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.
The apex court was hearing the plea filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari who alleged that Mr. Pradhan was abused, threatened and assaulted on October 21, when he was on evening walk, by a Bihar Police sub-inspector accompanied by some CRPF personnel on election patrol duty.
“The Petitioner is directed to amend his petition to include the name of police officer concerned who is accused of assaulting the judicial officer. List after two weeks,” said the Bench, adding that the petitioner may also file additional documents.
During the hearing conducted through videoconferencing, Mr. Tiwari told the Bench that he would name the sub-inspector in his plea and would seek an inquiry to ascertain the names of CRPF personnel who were accompanying him during the alleged assault.
The plea claimed that the sub-inspector had a grudge against the judicial officer as he had taken action against him and a few other police officers for dereliction of duty a few months back.
The petition sought action against senior police officials, including Director General of Police, Bihar and Superintendent of Police, Aurangabad for their alleged inaction in the matter.
It also sought lodging of an FIR in the matter against the erring police official and direction to all State governments to ensure and take safety and security measures for judicial officers of subordinate judiciary in their respective states.
The Bihar Judicial Services Association had earlier written a letter to the DGP seeking action against the erring officer, but no step was taken yet in connection with the incident, it claimed.
Attack and assault upon the judges and magistrates by police not only lowers the dignity of judiciary, but it also leaves the impression in the minds of public that when the judicial officers are not safe from police atrocities than what safety public will aspect, the plea had said.
The judges of subordinate judiciary are the vital part of our judicial system... Assault upon them with the feeling of grudge is the assault upon the dignity and supremacy of the Judiciary of this country which cannot be tolerated and requires strict punishment against the erring police officials under the contempt law, it added.
