Lawyer seeks Delhi govt law officer's consent for contempt proceedings against CBI DIG

new delhi: A lawyer has now made a representation to the Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra, seeking consent for initiating criminal contempt proceedings against CBI Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Raghavendra Vatsa, who allegedly punched a public prosecutor in his face.

Advocate Amit Sahni sought Mehra's consent under the Contempt of Courts Act to initiate proceedings of criminal contempt of court against Vatsa, an IPS officer posted at the CBI headquarters here, for allegedly causing deliberate obstruction in the administration of justice.

The issue relates to public prosecutor Sunil Kumar Verma, who had told a trial court that he has filed a police complaint against DIG Vatsa for allegedly punching him in the face for not accelerating the framing of charges in a case involving Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's former private secretary Rajinder Kumar.

While the trial court has summoned the DIG, the CBI has initiated a fact-finding inquiry into the allegations of its prosecutor. The DIG has also filed a counter-complaint against the prosecutor for allegedly misbehaving with him.

In the October 28 representation, Sahni said being a responsible member of the Delhi High Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association, he wishes to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against the IPS officer.

Sahni has also written to the Bar Council of India (BCI) for taking appropriate action regarding the unfortunate incident of physical attack on the CBI's public prosecutor.

"The aforesaid series of events makes it incumbent upon us to take up the issue with the appropriate authorities and also for initiation of criminal contempt of court for causing deliberate hindrance in the dispensation of justice in a matter pending before the special judge...," he said.