“If this can happen to us, it can happen to anyone” DHCBA asks for SIT probe into attacks on lawyers

The Delhi High Court today issued notice to the Delhi Police and the Government of Delhi in a plea by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the recent attacks on Senior Advocates..The plea was filed as a result of the attacks on Senior Advocate Kirti Uppal, who is also the President of the DHCBA, Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa, who is senior member of the Executive Committee, and Advocate Ravi Sharma..The DHCBA had also called for complete abstention from work on Thursday, January 25, to protest against attacks..It is alleged that the lawyers were attacked because they were representing Advocate Deepa Arya, who had been illegally arrested by the Delhi Police on December 18 last year, even though the public prosecutor had given an assurance to the Court that no coercive action would be taken against her..The plea filed through High Court Bar Association Secretary Amit Sharma states that in the three separate incidents, the life and property of the lawyers were put in danger by setting their houses and vehicles on fire..It is stated that,.“The attacks on the senior members is a direct attempt to terrorize them from performing their professional and statutory duties….The ghastly attack is not just upon them but a direct attack on the entire legal fraternity as the motive of the miscreants is to create an atmosphere of terror amongst the lawyers so that they refrain from taking up briefs against powerful lobbies.” .During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Kirti Uppal stated that he was more concerned about the junior advocates..“If this can happen to us, it can happen to anyone.”.The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar, while issuing notice to the Delhi Police and the Government of Delhi, expressed concern over the attacks and stated,.“If such incidents are happening against lawyers, then what would happen to the man on the street?”.The Bench directed the Police to provide security to all the lawyers who have been appearing for Deepa Arya, with special focus on the security of women lawyers..The matter will be heard tomorrow.