New Delhi, Nov 17, 2019-
Same location, almost similar incidents but different outcomes in two different cases of clashes between the Delhi Police and the lawyers of Tis Hazari.
Probably this was the reason that Delhi Police’s field officers decided to stage protest against its own top brass and gave calls for “return” of retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi, who is now Lt Governor of Puducherry.
During the protest by the Delhi police personnel and their families about two weeks back, what caught the eye of most of the media was the police personnel placing Kiran Bedi’s poster prominently and asking her to return to forces.
The men in Khaki raised slogans like “Kiran Bedi sherni hamari” and “Humara Commissioner of Police kaisa ho, Kiran Bedi jaisa ho”.
This love and belief in Kiran Bedi by policemen after the current top brass let them down was because she is regarded as one of the most prominent reasons that in almost similar Tis Hazari in the past, the force held its head high and did not bow to the protesting lawyers rather it protected them.
The case dates back to January 1988 when the Delhi Police arrested an advocate named Rajesh Agnihotri. The lawyer was allegedly caught stealing from a ladies common room of St. Stephen’s college.
However, the controversy erupted when the accused lawyer was produced before Tis Hazari court handcuffed. His colleagues argued that the police should not have brought a lawyer in handcuffs, as they argued, it was illegal.
Two days later the lawyers announced strike demanding action against the police officials, who handcuffed a lawyer.
But this is when Bedi held her ground and two days she announced that the police actions were justified as they did not know the accused was a lawyer.
However, the statement did not go down well with the lawyers as they marched towards Bedi’s office which was situated on the second floor of the Tis Hazari court, but according to lawyers the police lathi-charged on them leaving many injured.
The scuffle left a big impact for over two months, the lawyers continued their strike, and demanded Bedi’s resignation.
It was this case that earned Bedi, the image that made protesting police officers to demand her return in the forces.
The policemen argued that if it was Bedi in place of their current top brass, the outcome of the incident would have been different as she would have not bowed before lawyers and no complaints would have been registered against the policemen nor would some of them have been transferred. (Agency)
