JOIN USIn wake of recent attack on three trial court judges here, Delhi’s Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri has expressed anguish over the incident and has assured all judicial officers of their personal safety and a fearless environment to dispense justice.
“I am pained to know about the recent incidents of attack on judicial officers. Some of them have been reported in the press and few others have gone unreported,” Justice Sikri said in a letter to the district court judges.
Empathising with the judges who had been attacked, Justice Sikri said, “Without referring to any particular incident and without going into the reasons or provocations, if any, caused by any person or circumstance, I must convey my empathy to all judicial officers who have suffered the attack.”
He said as “the head of judicial family in Delhi” and the supervising and controlling authority “I am very much concerned about the safety and security of the judicial officers.”Justice Sikri, in his letter, also added that he has taken a strict view of the incident on judicial officers.
“I and my colleague judges have taken a very serious view of these incidents. A judicial officer requires a fearless and independent mind to do justice and any apprehension in his/her mind about his/her safety would certainly hamper his/her capabilities to judge fearlessly and impartially,” he said.
Justice Sikri said, “I know that our judicial officers have been performing their judicial duties to the best of their abilities. In the backdrop of these incidents of attack on judicial officers, I would request all officers not to lose heart.”
Assuring them of steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents, he said, “I have discussed the matter with my colleagues and I assure all of you that appropriate steps would be taken at the earliest to prevent such incidents in future.
“The matter has already been taken up with concerned government/police department to provide adequate security to all judicial officers. Action on some concrete measures suggested during the meeting is already underway.”
“We judges are required to do justice without fear, favour or ill will. Let that spirit continue to prevail,” the letter read.
On May 18, Metropolitan Magistrate Ajay Garg and two additional sessions judges Inderjit Singh and M K Nagpal were attacked on their way back from court.
While the MM suffered head injuries, the ASJs escaped unhurt. Four persons had been arrested and charged with attempt to murder in connection with the incident.