A mob, mainly comprising of lawyers, beat up Nithari serial killing accused Moninder Singh Pandher and his cook Surendra Koli, at the Ghaziabad district court complex today when the duo were produced by the CBI, police said today.
Ghaziabad SSP Navin Arora termed the incident as an "Intelligence failure", saying the police failed to read the "minds of the advocates". Arora said: "We had deployed close to 100 policemen in the court… However no one thought that advocates could stoop so low."
By evening police had registered an FIR at the Kavinagar police station against six advocates, whose names the SSP said would be made public soon, and several unidentified persons.
By the time Pander and Koli were produced before the Special Judicial Magistrate (SJM) Sapna Mishra at 10.45 am today, a large crowd had gathered at the court complex and the first-floor corridor where the SJM court is located was packed with lawyers and mediapersons.
When Pandher and Koli entered the court the SJM asked the doors to be shut. At this the crowd broke the window panes to get a better view of the proceedings.
The court proceedings went on for 45 minutes during which the CBI produced a few documents seeking an extension of remand for the two. At 11.30 am the SJM adjourned the proceedings saying that the order would be delivered in the post-lunch session.
Police tried to escort Pandher and Koli through the rear door only to find lawyers blocking the way. They then led them out through the main entrance by forming a ring around the duo only for the crowd to start raining blows on the Nithari murder suspects and even policemen and CBI officials.
Pandher's hair was pulled and his trouser torn to pieces. He was hit several times and passed out. Koli escaped with minor injuries as he had donned a monkey cap to conceal his identity.
As news spread, CBI Joint Director Arun Kumar came to the court premises and had a long meeting with the SSP and other officials. Arora said an internal inquiry has been ordered by SP (City) Govind Agarwal. He added that two Circle Officers, two SHOs and half a dozen other police officials besides CBI officers sustained injuries trying to protect Pandher and Koli.
In the evening the DIG (Meerut range) SP Singh came to Ghaziabad to discuss the incident with senior officials. By the end of the day, the SSP suspended three police officials on charges of negligence. These are Rakesh Paliwal (Station Officer, Kavinagar), Som Prakash (SI, choki-in-charge of Kachahari post) and Iccha Ram (SI, Local Intelligence Unit).
Although some lawyers regretted the incident, the Ghaziabad Bar Association put the blame on the police. Bar Secretary Pradeep Tyagi said the trial by media of Pandher and Koli had caused a frenzy among the public.
The CBI is believed to have complained to the Uttar Pradesh Government and the Union Home Ministry about today's incident and asked for stern action against district police officers who allowed the situation to get out of hand.
Pandher and Koli were remanded to 14 days’ CBI custody later in
the day.
In Chandigarh, Pandher's son Karandeep Singh said that “the attack on my father was pre-planned and an effort to hamper CBI investigations."
Karandeep Singh has written applications to the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India, appealing for the transfer of the case trial out of Uttar Pradesh. In his representation, Karandeep has said he has faith in the CBI but at the same time the investigation must be carried out on a fair platform and in an unbiased manner.
Not seriously injured, say doctors at RML
Moninder Singh Pandher and Surendra Koli were brought to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital around noon today in a "state of shock" after being attacked in a Ghaziabad court.
While Koli was discharged immediately as nothing "serious was found during the medical examination" Pandher was kept under observation for three hours and examined by physicians, orthopaedic surgeons and neurologists, Medical Superintendent Dr NK Chaturvedi said.
Pandher passed out during the assault at court. However, he was conscious throughout the medical examination and was discharged after the reports were found to be normal, Chaturvedi said
Immediately after the Nithari killings accused were brought to the hospital, security was beefed up, with policemen and women constables guarding the emergency ward. The area around the ward was barricaded to restrict entry.
A woman, Kamla, alleged that her grandson Aman, 2, died as a result since policemen did not allow her to enter the ward.
However, Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr N K Chaturvedi denied this, saying: “The child had 40 per cent burns. He was attended to by the doctors and there was no question of delay. It was a sensitive case and the security did not cause any inconvenience to the patients…”