"Assault of judge is assault on judiciary," Plea in Supreme Court demands judicial inquiry into attack on Bihar judge by police

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding a judicial inquiry into an incident from Aurangabad, Bihar in which a District Judge, Dr. Dinesh Kumar Pradhan was allegedly threatened, abused and chased by a police sub-inspector..The plea filed by Supreme Court advocate Vishal Tiwari has prayed for setting up of a two-member inquiry commission comprising sitting judges of Patna High Court to probe into the alleged incident and submit a report before the Supreme Court. .The petition has drawn a parallel between the 1989 Nadiad incident of Gujarat with that of the current one. The Nadiad case dates to 1989 when the Chief Judicial Magistrate was beaten, handcuffed, paraded and molested by police for the reason that he wrote to the DGP of the State for action against a police station for dereliction of duty by police officials at that police station.The top court had then taken cognizance under criminal contempt and punished the erring police officials..The plea by Tiwari states that the sub-inspector was accompanied by paramilitary personnel on a flag march when he attacked Dr Pradhan when he was out on an evening walk..The Bihar Judicial Services Association had written a letter to the DGP on October 24 seeking action against erring officers, but no step was taken yet in connection with the incident, says the plea..The petition avers that the police official "had a grudge against the judicial officer as Pradhan had taken action against him and a few other police officers for dereliction of duty a few months back when he was the Aurangabad chief judicial magistrate"..Even an FIR was not registered, Tiwari submits expressing his shock and dismay. ."It is the law declared by this honorable court in the case of Lalita kumari vs. State of Uttar Pradesh that in cognizable offences it is the mandatory duty of the police to register the FIR in cognizable offences,"reads the plea..The petition apart from the inquiry committee has sought initiation of criminal contempt proceedings not only against the sub-inspector but also higher police officials for their inaction..The plea avers that attack and assault upon the judges and magistrates by police not only lowers the dignity of judiciary but also leaves an impression on the public regarding their own safety. .Tiwari has prayed for directions to be issued to the police to register FIR in the case and for orders to be issued to all States to "take measures for the safety and security of the judicial officers of the subordinate judiciary in their respective states.""The judges of subordinate judiciary are the vital part of our judicial system. The trial judges are regarded as the kingpin of the case. Assault upon them with the feeling of grudge is the assault upon the dignity and supremacy of the Judiciary of this country," reads the plea.