Dramatic scenes were witnessed in the Delhi high court on Friday when a practising lawyer physically assaulted a woman colleague following heated arguments during court proceedings.
Taking cognisance of the oral complaint of the woman lawyer, a bench of Acting Chief Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw sent the accused advocate Amit Chanchal Jha to seven days’ jail term under charges of criminal contempt of court.
The court also barred him from practising in the high court for two months after he pleaded guilty of the offence.
The court order was also based on the report filed by the joint registrar before whom the incident had occurred.
According to eyewitnesses present in the joint registrar’s court at the time of the incident, the accused pushed the woman lawyer and slapped her a few times.
The woman lawyer also hit the accused in self defence, the witnesses said.
Appearing for the woman lawyer, Delhi High Court Bar Association president A.S. Chandhiok told the court that since the “offending” lawyer admitted his guilt, the court should pass appropriate orders.
While pleading guilty, the lawyer not only apologised for his conduct but also offered to perform community service.
Meanwhile, a group of lawyers approached the bench seeking modification of its order saying that both the lawyers are young and are at the threshold of their careers. The court, however, asked the parties to settle the issue amongst themselves and inform the court in writing about the same.
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2 govt doctors face action in corruption case
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, Jan. 13
Two cases were registered against two senior Delhi government officials for buying surgical gloves and other disposables for various hospitals allegedly at inflated rates from two private firms, causing a huge loss to the state exchequer.
The anti-corruption branch of Delhi police apprised special judge Sangita Dhingra Sehgal about the lodging of the case against the two health ministry officials, both doctors, while submitting the First Information Report (FIR) against them in her court.
The two officials booked on a string of criminal and corruption charges are Dr D.S. Rao, chief medical officer at the Central Procure-ment Agency, and Dr S. Bhattacharjee, director, health services. The two are accused of favouring MRK Healthcare of Mumbai and Centennial Surgical Sutures of Thane in bulk purchase of surgical gloves and sutures at an exorbitant cost from them.