HC issues notice to govt, police on plea seeking contempt

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notices to government’s chief secretary and police in the capital after a plea alleged failure on their part in formulating a comprehensive mechanism to combat emergent situations such as bomb threats in schools.

Justice Anish Dayal called it a serious issue, saying it required the urgent attention of authorities especially when repeated hoax calls had become very common and troubled children, their parents and schools. The plea before Justice Dayal claimed authorities were in contempt of the court’s November 14 2024 order which directed them to develop a comprehensive action plan with a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) to address such concerns.

The directions required the government agencies and police to develop the mechanism within eight weeks of the issuance. On Thursday, the court sought an update on the matter and posted the hearing on May 19, when government and police officials were asked to remain present.

In his plea, petitioner advocate Arpit Bhargava alleged inaction and negligent approach of Delhi government and Delhi Police in addressing the recurring bomb threat emails received by schools in the capital. He claimed the eight-week period got over on January 14, 2025, but there was no intimation on either the formulation or implementation of any detailed action plan or SoP in line with the court order.

Advocate Beenashaw N Soni, representing Bhargava, underlined an “apparent” disregard of the court orders by authorities and ineptness in acting in larger public interest.

She said the court’s directions were aimed at ensuring safety and security of school children and educational institutions in the event of bomb threats or similar emergencies.

“Continued failure of the contemnors/respondents to implement the directions of this court has left the school ecosystem across Delhi vulnerable to the recurring menace of bomb threats,” the petitioner argued. The contempt plea went on, “These threats, regardless of their actual veracity, create an environment of fear and panic among children, teachers, and parents. The lack of a standardised response protocol and preventive measures directly endangers the safety and mental health of lakhs of school going children in the capital.” Seeking coercive steps in line with Contempt of Court Act, the plea sought the court to impose punitive cost of litigation in favour of the petitioner and against authorities.

The SOP, the high court in November 2024 said, should clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, school management and municipal authorities ensuring seamless coordination and implementation.

Hoax threats, particularly those perpetrated through sophisticated methods such as the dark web and VPNs, were not unique to Delhi or even India and they were a global problem which continued to challenge the law enforcement agencies worldwide, it added.

Delhi Police previously revealed the presence of five bomb disposal squads and 18 bomb detection teams for over 4,600 schools in the capital.

The petitioner initially moved court in 2023 in the wake of a hoax bomb threat to the Delhi Public School, Mathura Road.