National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Friday took suo motu cognizance of Tis Hazari court violence incident where woman Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Monika Bhardwaj was 'manhandled' by some lawyers.
In two separate CCTV footages, DCP North Monika Bhardwaj was harassed and chased by some people dressed as lawyers. In another clip, she was seen pleading before the lawyers to stop the violence after a clash broke out between police and lawyers at the Tis Hazari court on November 2.
Sharma while speaking to ANI said, "We have taken a suo motu cognizance in this matter. We are writing a letter to the Commissioner of Police Delhi and the Bar Council stating that a separate FIR should be registered against the people who have been identified in the video. We have also demanded a separate enquiry in the matter."
"Yesterday I saw the video and it is very unfortunate that a woman officer, who went there to control the situation and save others, was molested and manhandled by the lawyers. This is not at all acceptable," she added.
The NCP chairperson further stated that there should be an exemplary punishment for such people so that other people do not repeat such things in future.
"It's very painful to know that lawyers themselves became the part of the clash. How will they work for the people? How can the people who very well know the law, can become the lawbreakers? Why did they take law in their hands?
"Such incidents are deterrent to other women who want to be recruited in police services. If so-called educated people behave in this manner, they should be debarred from practising law," she added.
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In a recent development, two IPS officers were transferred on the Delhi High Court's direction in the aftermath of the clash.
The high court took suo moto cognizance of the matter on Sunday and directed Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to transfer two officers while directing him not to take any coercive action against any lawyer.
As many as eight lawyers and about 20 policemen including Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) and two Station House Officers (SHOs) sustained injuries in the clash that took place on November 2 in Tis Hazari court premises.
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