In open defiance of the Supreme Court order, the group of lawyers which assaulted journalists on Monday, again attacked mediapersons and JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar when he was being produced at the Patiala House Court.
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.
"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, today 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, identified as Anwar of news channel CNN IBN, 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.
The apex court asks counsel to tell Delhi Police Commissioner to take action against those indulging in violence irrespective of their profession.
The court was also informed by senior advocate Indira Jaising that Kanhaiya has been attacked in the court premises when he was brought for remand proceedings.
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Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure proper and adequate security at Patiala House court complex.
The apex court ordered that there will be restricted entry of people which will 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.
Journalist Anwar said he was roughed up by a group of lawyers and the police personnel deployed inside the court premises remained "mute spectators".
"I was standing inside court premise when two groups of lawyers were shouting slogans. One was a small group of four-five persons in favour of Kanhaiya saying let the court decide who is anti-India.
"The other group of lawyers, bigger in size, was shouting Vande Mataram and Bharatmata ki Jai. A scuffle broke out between the groups and few lawyers from bigger group targeted the smaller one.
"When I tried take a snap of the scuffle, they targeted me. Snatched my phone, deleated picture and hit me," Tarique 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.
Emerging from the PMO, Bassi said investigators, probing the alleged raising of anti-India slogans at the JNU event, were looking at all aspects of the case including the motive.
"We have adequate evidence against him (Kumar). I won't be telling you about the process of investigation and what all we have found out so far," Bassi told reporters.
He dismissed reports citing inputs from security agencies that Kumar may not have raised anti-national slogans or made an inflammatory speech at the JNU event.
"People in huge numbers participated in it (the event), and we have already identified the ring leader. Now we are looking for all those who have been identified. Very soon we will get hold of them," he said.
Kumar was arrested on February 12 on charges of sedition in connection with the event at the varsity last week to protest the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
