Tis Hazari Violence: Delhi HC orders inquiry headed by Justice (Retd.) SP Garg

The Delhi High Court today ordered an inquiry into the violent clashes between lawyers and Delhi Police personnel that took place at Tis Hazari yesterday. The probe will be conducted under the aegis of former Delhi High Court Judge, Justice SP Garg..Justice Garg will be assisted by the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Director, Vigilance and the Director, Intelligence Bureau or any other superior officer appointed by them..The probe should preferably be completed within a period of six weeks, the Court said..The Delhi Government has been directed to provide the necessary infrastructure to Justice Garg in order to facilitate the probe..The Court also directed for suspension of ASI Pawan Kumar, who allegedly shot the lawyer, and ASI Kanta Prasad, who allegedly dragged a lawyer into the lock up..Additional DCP Harinder Singh, who gave the order for firing and Special CP Sanjay Singh, who ordered lathi charge, have also been ordered to be transferred till the pendency of the probe..Meanwhile, there will be no coercive action against the lawyers in connection with the FIRs registered against them by Delhi Police after the incident, the Court said..The lawyers have asserted that they will cooperate with the investigation..A Division Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and C Hari Shankar was hearing the suo motu petition taken up in relation to the Tis Hazari violence. The Bench further directed that the Commissioner of Police, Delhi will record the statement of the injured advocates and then register an FIR..As per the Court’s order, the injured advocates will receive the “best possible medical treatment” with the help of the Delhi government and the Central government..The Delhi government has also been directed to give Rs 50,000 to Advocate Vijay Verma, Rs 25,000 to Advocate Ranjit Malik, and Rs 10,000 to Advocate Pankaj Dubey as ex gratia amounts..The three advocates suffered severe injuries in the violence yesterday..The Court also recorded the statement made by counsel for Commisioner of Police, Rahul Mehra that civil as well as criminal action would be initiated against the erring police officers..The Court thus directed that Committee constituted to conduct a departmental inquiry into the erring officers shall place its findings before it within six weeks..The order was passed by the Court after hearing Standing Counsel Mehra, Chairman of the Coordination Committee Mahaveer Sharma, Bar CounciI of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, Bar Council of Delhi Chairman KC Mittal, Delhi High Court Bar Association President Mohit Mathur, Supreme Court Bar Association President Rakesh Khanna, and Senior Advocate AS Chandhiok..Read the Order: