'Arrogant attitude, rude behaviour': Bar association issues notice barring police officials' entry inside Delhi's Karkardooma courts

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The Shahdara Bar Association issued a notice on Friday, barring the entry of all police officials inside the Karkardooma district courts complex, alleging "misconduct, arrogant attitude and rude behaviour" by certain police officials towards lawyers.

The notice issued by the bar association's secretary, Narveer Dabas, said, "All the members of the Karkardooma Courts, Delhi, are hereby informed that numerous complaints have been received in the bar office regarding the misconduct, arrogant attitude and rude behaviour of certain police officials posted at various police stations falling within the jurisdiction of the court towards members of our bar association." It said such repeated incidents of misbehaviour, disrespect and unprofessional conduct by police personnel have caused serious concern among the member advocates and are an affront to the dignity and decorum of the legal fraternity.

The notice said a meeting of the association's executive committee has unanimously resolved that "keeping in view the conduct and behaviour of police officials, no police officials including nayab court (a court staff) posted at police stations falling within the jurisdiction of Karkardooma Courts shall be allowed to enter within the premises of the court complex".

It said in a recent incident, Police Control Room (PCR) officials posted in the Mandawali police station area misbehaved with an advocate and manhandled him in the presence of his wife and children when he requested them to remove the PCR van that was parked in the middle of the road. The police personnel also allegedly snatched the lawyer's mobile phone.

"When other lawyers reached Mandawali police station to pressure them, a police force armed with lathis and dandas was deployed. Lawyers were subjected to disrespectful behaviour and were threatened by the police personnel and despite waiting for hours, no medico-legal case (MLC) of the advocate who was injured in the incident was conducted," the notice said.

It said the decision was taken in protest against such behaviour and conduct of police officials and in view of the collective resentment of the bar members against the continuous and unwarranted misconduct of the men in uniform and to safeguard the respect, dignity and independence of the legal profession.

It requested cooperation from the lawyers, besides asking them to maintain unity, dignity and discipline during the course of the protest.