SC Provides Protection To Woman Lawyer Assaulted At Delhi Court

After Bar members of Delhi's Tis Hazari Court assaulted woman lawyer, Afshan Parcha, the Supreme Court has ordered police protection for her.

A boycott of the court of Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Kumar for directing the registration of a FIR, followed the assault.

Parcha has described the incident in her plea as “sad and sorrowful scenario” and that “it affects the security of practising women at various courts”. The court also ordered impleadment of the office-bearers of the Bar Association of the Tis Hazari Courts.

The bench of CJI Dipak Misra and Justices D. Y. Chandrachud and A. M. Khanwilkar directed the police commissioner to provide protection to Parcha with women police officers of adequate rank. This is to enable her to record her statement under section 164, CrPC.

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“The petitioner-in-person feels scared to go to court without police protection. According to her, her apprehensions are not in the realm of illusion, but of reality,” said the court

Senior Counsel Indira Jaisingh, who appeared for Parcha, requested that she be allowed to record her statement before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Patiala House Courts. “The petitioner-in-person feels scared to go to court without police protection. According to her, her apprehensions are not in the realm of illusion, but of reality,” said the court.

The bench has restrained the Tis Hazari court from further demonstrations.

Parcha filed a writ petition raising concern over safety for women at workplace after members of Delhi Bar Association physically assaulted her. She alleged that on May 4 male lawyers beat her at Tis Hazari Court and she feels scared to return to the court ever since. Parcha claimed that this happened during a strike at the court, started by the President and the Secretary of the Delhi Bar Association.

The male members allegedly asked her rudely to remove her bands and she complied with it. After this, they ordered her to remove her coat, which she rejected. She stated that the President and the Secretary of the Delhi Bar Association, along with a few other male advocates, threatened her with dire consequences. They clicked her pictures and filmed her, breaching her privacy.

Assistant Solicitor General Aman Lekhi and Advocate Zoheb Hussain represented the respondents. The next hearing will take place on May 11.

Picture credit- International Socialists

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