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At it yet again

Reacting to the events, the apex court rushed a team of lawyers with police protection to assess the ground situation in the court, hours after it had issued a series of directions to ensure peace in the court in the wake of Monday’s violence.

A panel of lawyers sent by the apex court on Wednesday to assess the situation at the Patiala House court complex were aghast at the volatile and unprecedented situation at the court premises and told a bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar that police failed to comply with the SC which had directed to provide enough security to the accused.

“We were abused and called agents of Pakistan,” senior lawyer Rajiv Dhawan, who was part of the panel, told the court.

“We would have been beaten up black and blue by lawyers if security cover would not have been given to us. Flower pot, pebbles and sand were thrown at us by lawyers who abused us and called agents of Pakistan,” Senior advocate, one of the member of the Committee told the top court. He told the bench that the committee talked to Kanhaiya and other people in Patiala Court premises and came to the conclusion that the apex court order was blatantly violated.

The Supreme Court later  on Wednesday directed Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi to file a report by Friday morning on why the cops at the Patiala House court complex failed in their duty to provide security to JNU students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar after a panel of senior lawyers appointed by SC told the court that the police had miserably failed in maintaining law and order in trial court and the Kanhaiya was brutally assaulted.

“We are concerned about the law and order situation,” a Supreme Court bench said when senior lawyer Indira Jaisingh informed the court about the fresh violence including the assault on Kumar when he was brought for remand proceedings.

Chanting slogans like “Vande Mataram” and waving the tri-colour, the lawyers including Vikram Chauhan and some others who who had allegedly attacked the journalists, teachers and students of JNU inside and outside the court two days back, on Wednesday came in a march to the court complex.

They managed to enter the court complex despite heavy police presence and roughed up a few journalists, snatched their mobiles and deleted video footage. Police looked the other way, the journalists alleged.

One of the journalists at Patiala House said despite heavy police deployment, clashes erupted in the court complex and the police presence did not deter the lawyers from shouting slogans and fighting with journalists and students.

Soon after the fresh assault, lawyers made a mention of the incidents before a Supreme Court bench which asked the counsel of Delhi Police to find out the situation at Patiala House Court and get back to it in ten minutes. The court also also said it may appoint local commissioner to take stock of the situation.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure proper and adequate security at Patiala House court complex.

The apex court ordered  restricted entry of people which would include the lawyers for the accused and prosecution, in the court room during the proceedings relating to the remand of Kumar. It had also asked the Delhi High Court Registrar General to be present in the Patiala House court complex for verification of people or group of people who have been allowed access to the court room and its compound.

Television journalist Anwar said he was roughed up by a group of lawyers and the police personnel deployed inside the court premises remained “mute spectators”.

“When I tried take a snap of the scuffle, they targeted me. Snatched my phone, deleted picture and hit me,” the journalist said.

Pramod, who claimed to be a member of AISA, said the lawyers hit him on his head. Stones were hurled at a news channel cameraman when he tried to film developments at court premises from the complex’s compound wall, according to eye witnesses.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi asserted that there was enough evidence against Kumar and people from outside had also come to the controversial event at the JNU during which anti-India slogans were alleged to have been raised.
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