SC assures a look into attack on Babri Masjid litigant

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that "it will look into and do whatever is needed" after senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan brought to its notice the alleged attack on Iqbal Ansari, who is pursuing the Babri Masjid case, in Ayodhya on Tuesday.

Ansari had alleged that a woman, Vartika Singh who claimed to be an international shooter, asked him to withdraw the case.

He later complained to the Ram Janmabhoomi police station there on Tuesday and Vartika is reported to have been detained.

On Wednesday, as soon as the Constitution bench presided over by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi assembled here, Dhavan submitted that litigant Iqbal, son of Mohd Hashim Ansari, was attacked by a shooter.

The bench, also comprising Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, assured that it would look into the matter.

Dhavan, for his part, said that he could not say if this required an investigation, but at times just a simple word from the bench was enough.

The senior counsel also maintained that he was not blaming the other side but the incident should be taken note of.

He also said that he cannot keep on pursuing contempt petitions everyday. Dhavan also said that he did not want any security as his life would change and he had good relations with the other side.

The top court had on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to an 88-year-old professor from Tamil Nadu for allegedly sending a letter to Dhavan, cursing him for representing the Muslims side in the Ayodhya dispute case.