A Delhi court has directed Delhi Police to preserve the CCTV footage of the clashes between the police and the lawyers at Tis Hazari court premises that occurred on November 2.
In his order on Tuesday, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Jitendra Singh also directed police to file a compliance report stating the action taken by them in connection with the First Information Reports (FIRs) registered after the clashes.
The order comes after an application was filed by Delhi Bar Association in which they had also sought the preservation of the CCTV footage. In its application the association also asked about the status report on the FIRs and issuance of directions for the arrest of the accused persons.
In order the court stated that the investigating agency is required to preserve all the relevant CCTV footages available in and around the place of incident.
"They are a crucial piece of evidence which can aid in verifying the allegations and counter-allegations of advocates and police," the court observed.
Delhi Bar Association (DBA) President N C Gupta alleged that the probe in not going on in a fair and proper way while Delhi Police had denied the claims of the petitioner and stated that a fair probe is taking place and efforts are also being made to expedite the same.
On November 2 at the Tis Hazari Courts Complex after a parking dispute between an on-duty policeman and a lawyer erupted, at least 20 security personnel and several advocates were injured. The protests triggered more on November 4 when a police constable was attacked by a group of lawyers outside Saket District Court.
Ordering a judicial inquiry by one of its retired judges into the clash, the Delhi High court at a special sitting on November 3 suspended a police official and transferred two senior police officials during pendency of the investigations.
The Delhi High Court also directed the Delhi Police commissioner to transfer Special Commissioner Sanjay Singh and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Harendra Singh during pendency of the investigation. It had also asked not to take coercive action against the lawyers for the FIRs filed in the Tis Hazari court clash.