Bhima Koregaon raids: ‘Police has no business casting aspersions on Supreme Court’, Justice DY Chandrachud

Justice DY Chandrachud today ripped into the Pune Police for making insinuations against the Supreme Court in the case relating to arrests of lawyers and activists ostensibly in connection with the Bhima Koregaon incident..Addressing ASG Tushar Mehta, Justice Chandrachud remarked,.“I watched the press briefing by the Assistant Commissioner, Pune which insinuated that the Supreme Court should not have intervened at this stage. He has no business saying that and casting aspersions on the Supreme Court Judges.”.Tushar Mehta apologised to the Court, before the matter was adjourned to Wednesday, September 12..The petition challenging the arrest of lawyers and activists by the Pune Police was being heard by the Bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud..ASG Tushar Mehta made submissions on behalf of State of Maharashtra, while Harish Salve appeared for the complainants in the case..Both Mehta and Salve questioned the locus of the petitioners and also said that the matter should not be before the Supreme Court, as it will set a wrong precedent of allowing “strangers” to come to the Court on behalf of accused persons..Just as the Court decided to hear the case on Wednesday and was about to rise, Senior Counsel Indira Jaising made a request before the Court that Police be injuncted from going to the press and holding briefings..“Everyday they are releasing a letter. Yesterday they released a letter which was shown by Republic TV“, remarked Jaising..Justice Chandrachud immediately intervened, agreeing with the submissions of Jaising. He told ASG Mehta that the Police needs to be responsible in such matters..“The matter is before us now and we don’t want the Police to be telling us that we are wrong.”.Justice Chandrachud added that he watched the Press briefing held by the Pune Police in this regard and strongly objected to the same..The Court then adjourned the hearing of this case till Wednesday, September 12.