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21 lawyers held for defying HC order
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 28
As a sequel to Delhi High Court order initiating contempt proceedings against 25 members of the Delhi Bar Association (DBA) for “vandalising” courts at Tis Hazari in the course of their agitation against shifting of some courts to Rohini, the city police today arrested 21 advocates.

Among those arrested are DBA Secretary Sanjiv Nasiar, who was leading a hunger strike within the Tis Hazari complex along with Bar President Rajiv Khoshla, DCP North Sanjiv Gaur said.

They had been arrested for defying the High Court order, he said adding all of them were subsequently remanded to 14 days judicial custody.

The High Court yesterday had passed an order debarring advocates from holding any demonstration within a 500-metre radius of any court in the Capital. The lawyers belonging to the DBA, had been agitating against shifting of some courts from Tis Hazari to Rohini in North-West of the Capital.

“We are also looking for DBA president, who is not being found,” Gaur said.

A five-judge full court Bench of the High Court, headed by Chief Justice Marakandey Katju yesterday also had issued contempt notices to 25 advocates.

Gaur said the lawyers were arrested when they sat on a hunger strike inside the Tis Hazari court complex in violation of the High Court order. They have been charged under Section 188 of IPC, which deals with disobedience to order promulgated by public servants.

Besides, Khosla and Nasiar, contempt notices were issued to another Bar Association leader Jai Vir Singh Chauhan and advocates A K Gupta, Rajesh, Girish Malhotra, Dharamvir, Inder Singh Saroha, S K Singh, Jatan Singh, Shubra, Sherawat, Dharamvir Singh Saroha, Raj Singh, Yogender Singh, Rajender Singh Rana, Vikas Arya, Nitin Ahlawat, O P Saini, Dalip Rana, G S Sandhu, Anil Kumar Chauhan, Jitender Kumar Chauhan, Madan Lal Gupta and Satinder Kumar Gautam.

The High Court took the action on the basis of an inquiry report submitted by the Delhi District & Sessions Judge S N Dhingra on the “vandalism” of courts at Tis Hazari.