Jharkhand High Court Judge: A judge of the Jharkhand High Court was stuck in a traffic jam for about half an hour. Failure of the state police to provide security to the High Court judges while moving between the court and their residence. Jharkhand DGP admitted the lapse in security and assured that such a lapse will not happen in future.
According to a Bar and Bench report, Jharkhand High Court judge Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi was hearing the case after facing a harrowing experience in a traffic jam while coming from the court due to a demonstration organised by a political party. He was stuck in the traffic jam for half an hour and despite repeated requests to his personal security officer (PSO), the police officer did nothing.
The court said that if one judge of the High Court is not safe then it means that the safety of all the other judges is also in danger. The court also mentioned the murder of Judge Uttam Anand, who was hit by an auto-rickshaw during his morning walk.
The court said that this is not just a matter of concern for the court. In a state where a good officer of the state High Court had to lose his life on the road. If nothing is done in this matter, then the concerned officials will not take any action regarding the safety of the judges. It is the supreme duty of every government agency to protect judicial institutions from such attacks.
The court said, 'If such administrative arbitrariness is allowed to continue, the Constitution, the rule of law, human rights and dignity and all kinds of noble values of civil life will be lost.' The judge of the High Court is a respected dignitary who performs sovereign functions by virtue of his office and his role in the administration of justice. The order said, 'No one can ignore his position in the bureaucratic structure of the government. Therefore, this court is bound to say so, because this has happened with the present judge of the High Court.'
On August 23, High Court judge Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi was talking about the inconvenience and insecurity he faced while returning from the High Court to his residence on Kanke Road. The Chief Minister's residence is also located on Kanke Road. A political party organized a protest that day.
When the judge was going to the court, he came to know that a PCR van had been sent to his residence. On enquiry, the PSO told that when the judge was going home in the morning, he had to face a jam till the Chief Minister's residence. Due to which he ordered a PCR van. After this, the judge was safely taken to the court.
However, the situation went out of control while returning in the evening. While leaving the court, the judge's PSO called PCR which was unable to help. Despite calling the control room six times, the judge was stuck in the jam for half an hour. Despite repeated requests by the PSO, the police did not take any action. The judge thought of walking to the residence but the PSO and the driver advised him not to do so as it was considered unsafe.
The matter was brought before the Registrar General of the High Court, which also included the DGP of Jharkhand. After this, the SP (Traffic) of Ranchi intervened and finally the judge was brought home. After which the High Court said that the security of judges should not be ignored.