Tis Hazari firing incident: Delhi court sends 7 lawyers to judicial custody, one to 2-day police remand

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) A court here on Tuesday sent seven lawyers to 14 days judicial custody in connection with the firing incident in the Tis Hazari district court premises and one counsel Sandeep Sharma to two-day police remand.

As police produced two more advocates — Shiv Ram Pandey and Jitesh Khari — in the court after their arrest on Tuesday, they, along with the five advocates who were in police custody, were sent to judicial custody.

On June 7, the court had sent the leaders of the two groups to three days’ police custody.

The duo — Manish Sharma, the former Vice President of the Delhi Bar Association, and Lalit Sharma — were nabbed by police early on June 7.

A day before, the court had sent three accused persons — Aman Singh, Ravi Gupta, and Sachin Sangwan – who were part of the groups of lawyers involved in firing at Tis Hazari court, to four days police custody. On Monday, their custodial interrogation was extended by a day.

On July 5, two groups of lawyers clashed and opened fire at the Tis Hazari courts.

The videos of the incident went viral on social media showing a man in white shirt and black pants firing in air, accompanied by others hurling stones and wooden planks.

The involved parties, predominantly in lawyers’ attire, could be seen brandishing sticks and engaging in verbal confrontation.

During the court hearing on Tuesday, the investigating officer sought Sharma’s custodial interrogation for two days, saying it was required to find out the source of the gun and to arrest other people involved in the matter.

“Two days’ police custody of accused Sandeep Sharma granted. All the guidelines of apex court be complied with and it is directed to investigating agency that the accused should not be subjected to any torture during police custody,” Metropolitan Magistrate Chatinder Singh said.

“Rest of the accused persons namely Manish Sharma, Lalit Sharma, Aman Singh, Ravi Gupta, Sachin Sangwan, Jitesh Khari and Shiv Ram Pandey are hereby sent to judicial custody for 14 days,” the magistrate added.

Advocates Sanjay Sharma and Karan Sachdeva, along with other counsel, also moved an application stating since the seven accused were practising advocates, they could be kept in judicial custody separately.

At this, the court said: “Jail Superintendent is directed to lodge the accused persons … as per jail manual.”

As per the police, the fight broke out between Lalit Sharma and Manish Sharma over some personal enmity. The court also allowed the applications of both to continue having their prescribed medicines.

–IANS

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