On Thursday the 22nd May 2014, at around 10:00 PM, a woman, hailing from Nagaland was molested near the Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station When the victim resisted him and tried to catch hold of him, the accused also slapped her. Few people, who saw this incident, overpowered the molester and handed him over to the police. At the police station it was revealed that the accused is a lawyer practicing at Tis Hazari Court. The NSUD president was then informed about the incident and he assisted the victim in the police station. An FIR was registered. The Accused was taken into police custody.
On the next day the accused was produced before the Magistrate Mrs. Mona .T. Karketta, Ld. M.M (Room No- 273). The victim was accompanied by the NSUD President with two of his executives as an expression of solidarity with her. The victim was represented by a lawyer appointed by Delhi Legal Services Authority. The accused and his group of advocates practicing at Tis Hazari Court started to taunt/intimidate/harass and passed remarks to the victim and her friends and also to the lady lawyer representing her. There was a huge pandemonium in the court room with 10/20 lawyers threatening/intimidating the victim, her lawyer and others who were with the victim.
The NSUD President was slapped in front of the Ld Magistrate unprovoked by one of the friend of the accused lawyers while the hearing was going on. The police and the Court officials intervened but no action was taken by the Magistrate and the Police personal present at that moment against the assaulters. Fearing the safety of the victim and her own security, the DSLA lawyer called another DSLA lawyer Ms. Liyi for support in the hostile atmosphere. On her arrival, Adv. Ms Liyi was also threatened by the mob of lawyers. The victim and her lawyer were moved to another Court for safety to record the statement of the victim while the mob continued to swell in the court room.
The police personnel came to the rescue and escorted Adv Liyi and victim’s friends out of the court room. This did not deter the violent and belligerent group of lawyers who followed them by using racial abuses/derogatory remarks and life threatening languages with the intention to physically harm them. Since, the lawyers continued to follow and threaten them, the police took them to the police chowki of Tis Hazari Court for their safety, and made them sit until the mob (Lawyers) disperse. It is important to note that those who were accompanying the victim were targeted only because they were helping a victim of molestation to get justice.
The mob tried to intimidate the police personnel to withdraw their protection. However, after few minutes of waiting at the Police Chowki, police told Advocate Liyi and the victim’s friends that it is safe to leave the Police Chowki. As they left the Chowki there was a mob that was waiting to attack and assault them.
All of them started to run to save their lives as the mob of advocates who are friends of the accused started chasing them saying that they will not allow Northeastern people to go alive from here today.
Even the lady Advocate Liyi accompanying them was not spared by the mob of lawyers as she was chased and slapped until two Police constables rescued her from any further harm being inflicted on her.
Simultaneous with these happening in the premises of the court, another unfortunate incident was taking place outside the court room. The Zeliangrong Students’ Union President had also come to the court to attend the hearing of the above stated case, he along with his friends were not allowed to enter the court room and hence they were sitting outside.
A lawyer approached him, asking if his other North Eastern friends are joining them. As soon as he answered yes, a mob of about 20/30 advocates attacked him physically. The mob or Lawyers attacked, slapped, kicked and stamped on him. His ears and nose were bleeding. Even the policeman who dared to protect them was also beaten up. The attached photograph is a testimony to this brutal assault on him.
The molestation and the criminal intimidation and assault on the people of North East States is an attack having racial contours and calls for strict and immediate action by the judiciary and law enforcing agency to protect the vulnerable groups. The conduct of this lawyer and the mob of lawyers supporting him have showed absolute disregard for the judicial process and contempt of the Court.
Besides the assault on fellow lady advocates for the victim to deter and intimidate victims from taking legal recourse should not be tolerated by the judiciary and law administration. If lawyers are not safe in the Courts, then it is a very poor reflection on the state of judicial administration.
Where are we heading and what kind of society is this? There are hundreds of more brutal cases across India unreported. Think
