HC directs Kolhapur SP to hold meeting with officials to strengthen security at district court complex

Kolhapur: The Bombay high court's Kolhapur bench directed the Kolhapur superintendent of police to hold a joint meeting with the superintending executive engineer of PWD, the Kolhapur district court registrar and three representatives of the Kolhapur advocates association to finalise steps to strengthen the security arrangement at the Kolhapur district court complex.The direction follows a report submitted by a 10-member lawyers' committee set up by the HC after an assault on a lawyer by a litigant on March 7. The committee submitted a detailed report on March 26 on the prevailing security situation in the court complex and recommended measures to strengthen security.The panel found that the court complex has a footfall of around 2,000 daily visitors, along with 800 to 1,200 lawyers and 400 court staffers, and said that given such large daily turnout, the current security arrangements are not sufficient.Since the incident took place, upon various directions of the HC, superintendent of police Yogeshkumar Gupta has enhanced security measures at the court complex. He has increased the police personnel to a total of 60 from an earlier strength of 42, and added rounds of police patrolling teams, with visits to four floors scanning QR codes to register their visit."However, perusal of the report submitted by the committee of advocates practising in Kolhapur district court, appointed by this court, shows that it is still further necessary to strengthen the security arrangement at the Kolhapur district court complex. One of the important aspects pointed by the committee is that door-frame metal detectors are not installed, although police personnel are provided with hand-held metal detectors. Ms Neha Bhide, learned GP, states that immediate further steps will be taken to strengthen the security at the court complex, including installation of door-frame metal detectors," stated the order passed by the bench of justices Madhav J Jamdar and Pravin S Patil on Thursday last week.SC/ST case against 15 Bar association membersIn a related development, the Kolhapur police filed a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against 15 members of the Kolhapur Bar association based on a complaint by the alleged attacker.The alleged attacker is a housewife. Her husband initiated a divorce petition against her. On March 7, according to the lawyer representing the husband, she was attacked by the woman, who was subsequently booked. The woman accused lawyers present of hurling abuses in the name of the caste she belonged to and also physically attacking her, causing injury. She wrote to the HC, which directed the police to take appropriate action.Accordingly, a case was registered against 15, including the woman lawyer representing the husband, the president of the Kolhapur District Bar Association, which is one of the petitioners in the case, and other lawyers under sections 115(2) (voluntary causing hurt), 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 191(2) (rioting) and 190 (common object) of BNS Act 2023 and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.Deputy superintendent of police Priya Patil is the investigation officer in this case. So far, no arrest was made.