English
New Delhi, February 17: The Supreme Court today directed Delhi Police Chief B S Bassi to personally ensure safety and security of persons including arrested JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar,who is facing sedition charge, in Patiala House courts complex here after a fresh round of violence broke out.
The order was given on a day of fast paced developments when the court had to step in and rush a six-member panel of advocates appointed by it to Patiala House courts in the afternoon after it was apprised of fresh incidents of violence involving persons in black robes.
After the panel gave an oral report mentioning that situation at the Patiala House Court was “unprecedented” and the “atmosphere was of fear and terrorising” and that Kumar was “manhandled”, a bench comprising Justices J Chelameswar and A M Sapre made it clear that “the responsibility is exclusively is that of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to ensure the safety of the accused.”
The panel claimed they bore the brunt of people in lawyers’ robes who hurled abuses and expletives at them.
“This particular atmosphere is unprecedented. Police did not do their job. The crowd broke the cordon and threw water bottles and sharp-edged flower pots on us. This is broadly the report,” they said, adding that “there is a serious threat to the life and safety of the accused and this police will be unable to save him.”
Inside the courtroom, the judges said, “We also direct that Commissioner of Police shall take necessary steps to ensure the safety of the accused until he is produced next before the trial court. (ALSO READ: JNU row: Adequate evidence against Kanhaiya Kumar, outsiders involved, says B S Bassi).
“We may place on record that it is reported today by the members of the Committee that the accused was manhandled while he was produced before the Court today. We therefore make it clear that the responsibility is exclusively is that of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to ensure the safety of the accused,” it said and posted the matter for hearing tomorrow.
Kumar, who is facing sedition charge for allegedly raising anti-India slogans, has been remanded in judicial custody by a Metropolitan court till March 2.(ALSO READ: Kanhaiya Kumar raised anti-national slogans: B.S. Bassi).
The top court had earlier in the day issued directions to Police and the Delhi High Court Registry in the morning to ensure safe and smooth proceedings in the lower court but again had to step in in the afternoon after it was told that violence had erupted.
The team of six senior lawyers comprising Kapil Sibal, Rajeev Dhavan, Dushyant Dave, A D N Rao, Ajit K Sinha and Harin Raval, was rushed by the bench in police protection to the lower court to assess the ground situation.
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