Jharkhand High Court Initiates Suo Moto Case After Judge Gets Stuck In Traffic, Recalls District Judge's Murder On Road

Top police officials were compelled to appear before the Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday after it took suo motu cognizance of Justice S.K. Dwivedi getting stuck in a traffic jam and not getting proper assistance from the force present there.

Justice Dwivedi revealed that on August 23, his staff had to call a PCR van to escort him amid traffic caused by a demonstration organized by a political party but unfortunately, on his way back to the residence, he remained stuck in his car for half an hour with the police officials present onsite not cooperating with his personal security officer (PSO). It is only after Justice Dwivedi's PSO sought the DGP's interference, the judge was rescued.

The incident reminded the Justice Dwivedi of Dhanbad ADJ's murder on road, when he was out on a morning walk. He remarked,

"This is not concern of one Court only if one Judge of the High Court is not safe meaning thereby the other Judges are not safe that too in a State where a good officer of the higher judiciary of the State has lost his life on the action of some accused...The Court thought if nothing is done on the issue in question, authority concerned will not take any action with regard to safety of the High Court Judges."

In this backdrop, a suo moto case has been initiated.

Justice Dwivedi said High Court Judges are high dignitaries, who by virtue of their office and the nature of work, have to be aloof from others. "These and other acts which Judges perform make them the object of regard and respect of others. Their functions as demanded by their office make them important for the society. No one in the Government's bureaucratic set up can ignore their position as such this Court is constrained to say so because this has happened with the sitting Judge of the High Court," he added.

Court said it is the highest duty of every governmental agency to guard and protect the judicial institutions. "The great cherished values of the Constitution, the rule of law, human rights and the dignity and all varieties of a civilized life will be eroded if such executive high-handedness is allowed to prevail," the Court added.

In course of interaction at Bar, the Director General of Police, Jharkhand admitted that laches had occurred however, he assured that it will be rectified and in future it will not be repeated.

Click Here To Read Order