Policemen Assaulting Judge : Bihar DGP Submits Report To Patna High Court In Sealed Cover
On a shocking allegation of police brutality unleashed upon an Additional District and Sessions Judge from Madhubani, the Director-General of Police, Bihar appeared before the Patna High Court today. The report under his signature was handed over in a sealed cover to the High Court. Today, Justice Rajan Gupta has opened the seal, perused the details about the incident, and ordered...
On a shocking allegation of police brutality unleashed upon an Additional District and Sessions Judge from Madhubani, the Director-General of Police, Bihar appeared before the Patna High Court today. The report under his signature was handed over in a sealed cover to the High Court.
Today, Justice Rajan Gupta has opened the seal, perused the details about the incident, and ordered that the report be kept in the safe custody of Registrar Judicial. Additionally, during today's proceedings, Senior Advocate Mrigank Mauli has been appointed as the Amicus Curiae to assist the court.
The Bihar DGP has been asked again to remain present before the Court on the next date of hearing. The matter has been listed for 1st December, 2021.
On 18th November, 2021, Patna High Court had taken suo moto cognizance of the horrific episode that transpired in the Chambers of the ADJ Avinash Kumar at Jhanjharpur. The court had taken note of the incident after it received a letter from the District and Sessions Judge, Madhubani, describing the sequence of events.
According to the letter received by Patna High Court, two policemen from Ghoghardiha had physically assaulted the judge, even pulling a gun on him after the judge didn't budge to their verbal abuse.
The letter of District & Sessions Judge reported that a few lawyers and court employees reached the spot-on time, saving the ADJ from further harm.
On the last occasion, when the court took note of the gravity of the matter after a special hearing, it observed:
"Prima facie, it appears that this episode puts the independence of the judiciary in jeopardy. We, thus, deem it fit to issue notice to the respondents no. 2 to 5 i.e., the Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, Patna, the Director-General of Police, Bihar, the Principal Secretary, Home Department, Government of Bihar, Patna and the Superintendent of Police, Madhubani."
Due to the sensitivity of the issue, the DGP had also been asked to file a status report in a sealed cover.
Case Title: Court On Its Own Motion On The Letter Dt. 18.11.2021 From The District And Sessions Judge, Madhubani v. State of Bihar & Ors.
Case No: CWJC-19402/2021