Delhi Police will be probing Rohini courtroom shootout

Security tightened at Rohini Court, a day after the shooting incident, in Delhi, on Saturday. Pics/PTI

Delhi Police Crime Branch has taken over the investigation of Rohini courtroom shootout case in which gangster Jitender Mann, alias Gogi, and two others were killed. Since Saturday, police have been deployed outside the district court in Rohini in the light of Friday's incident. Bar Council of Delhi chairman Rakesh Sherawat, along with other officials, reached Delhi Police headquarters to meet Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana to discuss and review security in Delhi court premises.

Gogi was shot dead in a courtroom by two assailants from the rival ‘Tilu' gang, dressed as lawyers in broad daylight amid a packed court house. The incident took place inside the courtroom where a case was being heard against him. The two assailants were subsequently shot dead by the police. However, the incident led to chaos and panic in the courtroom where the judge had commenced proceedings. A woman lawyer was reportedly injured in the firing.

Besides being accused in dozens of cases, including murder, kidnapping and fraud in other states, Gogi was on Delhi police's most-wanted list. His gang was involved in possession of illegal arms, carjacking and land grabbing.

Tihar on high alert

Tihar Jail authorities are on high alert amid fear of clashes between different rival criminal gang members lodged in the high security prison, following the shootout incident in Rohini court. "We are maintaining higher level of alertness than before after Friday's court shootout," Tihar Director-General Sandeep Goel said on Saturday. Tihar, South Asia's largest complex of prisons, has been working on tightening its security by installing CCTV cameras since a series of violent incidents were reported from within the jail in August.

Plea in HC

A plea has been moved in the Delhi High Court urging it to direct authorities to take requisite measures for the safety and security of district courts. The petition filed by a woman advocate said she has been practising in various Delhi courts for years, but it has become unsafe for her and thousands of fellow lawyers to visit there as they have become "easy terrain" for gangsters to settle scores.

"It is also painful that a young legal professional has also got severely injured in the scary incident. This shootout inside the court again puts a big question mark on the safety and security of judges, lawyers and litigants inside the district courts in Delhi," petitioner advocate Deepa Joseph said. The plea sought direction to the Delhi Police and the Bar Council of Delhi to consider instructing all police personnel at court entrances to ensure that they check the ID cards of every lawyer who enters the court premises.

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