In the wake of a shooting incident on the Saket district court premises last week, the High Court on Wednesday asked various bar associations functioning in the Capital to hold a meeting with Delhi Police officers on the issue of strengthening security in court complexes. A Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said the meeting would be held within two weeks to come up with suggestions on the issue.
The HC direction came while hearing a case in connection with security on court premises following a September 24, 2021, shoot-out in the Rohini district court. The HC was informed that there was another shoot-out incident last week in the Saket district court. The Delhi government’s standing counsel said all measures were being taken by the police to ensure safety and security in courts, and a meeting may be held between the stakeholders and the police for further suggestions.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma said the designation of a person should not grant any immunity from security checks. “We have to cooperate,” he added.
Earlier, the police had in a status report filed in the matter stated that to improve the security set-up of all seven district courts in the Capital, 997 security personnel, including local police and CAPF, had been deployed there.
It had also said over 2,700 CCTVs, 85 baggage scanners, 242 handheld metal detectors and 146 door frame metal detectors were installed in the district courts.
Additionally, boom barriers and 59 wireless sets and control rooms for prompt communication were given to these institutions and every person was subjected to searching and frisking, according to the report.
In the recent past there have been incidents of shooting in different district courts here. On September 24, 2021 Delhi’s most-wanted gangster Jitender Mann alias Gogi was shot dead inside the Rohini court complex by two gangsters, suspected to be members of Tillu Tajpuriya gang, dressed as lawyers. The two assailants were shot dead by Delhi Police.
The matter will be heard next by the High Court in July.
